Live! Thomas Goodwin’s Joy (Historic Story)

As a six-year-old boy in the 1600s, Thomas Goodwin cried for his sins and also experienced joy as he thought about God.16 He studied the suffering of Jesus. His tutor noticed that Thomas wanted to become a preacher but knew little of God’s grace. He prevented Thomas from sharing in communion, which devastated the young man and hardened his heart. Several years later Thomas heard Dr. Bainbridge preach about when Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Thomas felt miserable and believed God was angry with him.

Several hours later God spoke to Thomas through Ezekiel 16:6. God put a new life and spirit in Thomas at that moment. God convicted Thomas that He would forgive his sins if Thomas turned to Him. Those moments changed Thomas’s life. He realized he had sought his own glory with his desire to become a famous preacher. He described himself at that time: “I walked in the vanity of the mind.” He aimed for applause and fame. Now he sought God’s glory.

Thomas studied the words regarding the joy that awaited Jesus as He endured the crucifixion, in Hebrews 12:2. He discovered Jesus looked forward to the joy of seeing people forgiven. Christ rejoices when people believe in Him. As Thomas became alive in Christ, he wrote and preached about Christ, including joy. He became a warm and helpful Puritan pastor who aided people who lacked joy. He also served as a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.

Many Scriptures focus on Christ’s love, but we should also understand the joy Christ offers each of us. In John 17:13, Christ shared His desire that we have His divine joy in us.

Choose Joy Today: Ask Jesus to fill you with joy.

16. Karl R. B. Jones, “The Theology of Christian Joy in the Works of Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680)” (MA thesis, University of Durham, 2012), http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3399/ .