Day 2: Joy

I'm sure some people thought I was crazy, but I went alone to Disneyland Paris in the summer of 2023. I'd been to Disneyland before in Los Angeles, but it had been with friends. This time...I went with Jesus.

I had one of the best days of my life. I chose my Mickey Mouse ears (purple), screamed on rollercoasters (very loudly), and wrote book idea outlines on my phone while I waited in lines.

Afterwards, I drew some images of Jesus going to a theme park, and riding on rollercoasters, and it felt vaguely sacrilegious. Was it okay to draw Jesus experiencing...joy?

In reality, I think sometimes we have a lower value for joy than Jesus did. Joy is the second fruit of the Spirit mentioned, right after love. (Gal 5:22)

It's important to realise that joy is not the same as experiencing happiness. Happiness is the result of an external factor - for example, I might experience happiness seeing a friend, or drinking a particularly good coffee, or getting a promotion at work. But joy, as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of us at all times, can and should be present in our lives at all times.

Joy is connected to our level of conviction of the presence and movement of God in our lives. It's also closely connected with thankfulness! When I'm thankful for what God has already done, it puts my heart in the right posture and gives me confidence that God can and will do good things again.

Because joy is rooted in what God is doing and not in my circumstances, it means I am free to experience joy even in the middle of pain and low times.

Proverbs 17:22 says,

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

It is actually vital for our wellbeing that we experience joy.

Be Honest:

• When was the last time you experienced joy?
• How does the image of Jesus on the rollercoaster sit with you? Are you comfortable with the idea of Jesus laughing with joy?
• What brings you joy?
• Do you lean towards thankfulness or complaining in your life?

Bonus Challenge:

1. Write down a list of what you're asking the Lord for in this season.
2. Now count the number of things you're asking the Lord for, and double the number. Now using this new number, write a companion list of things you're thankful for - that's twice as long as what you're asking God for. Find encouragement in how faithful He's already been!