Rediscovering JoySample

Before we go any further, we need to debunk the myth of what joy actually is. Many think of joy as an elated state. A dictionary definition tells us that joy is “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” In the Bible, however, we find something different—something that looks a bit more like a peaceful, vibrant, and contented cheerfulness instead of a dance party. Yes, David danced before the Lord with instruments merrily playing. There is a time and a place for that. 

But more often than not, what we identify as joy is a little different.

When James says in chapter 1, verse 2 to “[c]onsider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” the Greek form of the word “joy” is closer to calm delight. Doesn’t this sound a bit more attainable for daily life than imagery that bursts forth with loud shouts of praise at every moment?

To capture the true spirit of joy, we must rewind and go as far back as God’s response to His creation that we find in Genesis 1. Upon completion of the greatest of His creation—man and woman, made in His own image—we see God’s response: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). The Hebrew words for the phrase “very good” conjure up an image of someone who responds with cheerfulness and joyfulness. 

For six days, God had been creating one beautiful thing after another and was satisfied along the way. But when He made Adam and Eve, this was magnified even more. 

Think for a minute of a time when you were pleased with something that happened: perhaps you received a diploma after years of hard work, or maybe you completed a project you had been pouring yourself into for months. You may call this “satisfaction,” but if you look deeper, you may see another layer called joy. It moves past contented and into a space of gratitude.

Now imagine having this kind of delight every day! This kind of joy was—and is—God’s response to us, His image bearers. He is more than just content; He is delighted. 

So if one of God’s first responses to us was joy—a calm delight—then what ought to be our response as we walk through daily life?

The hard truth, though, is that for many of us, joy doesn’t come easily, especially as we face so many challenges today. But as we learn to accept the gift and learn to make it part of our daily lives, something incredible begins to happen: like the people in Nehemiah’s day, the joy of the Lord becomes our strength for the days ahead (see Neh. 8:10).

What would it look like for you to experience a continual delight as you moved through your days? Do you think it’s unattainable? Think again. Tomorrow, we will debunk myth #1: that joy isn’t for everyone.