Joy to the WorldSample

Joy in the Palm of Your Hand

Have you ever grabbed a handful of sand and tried to hang on to as much of it as possible, only to watch it slip through your fingers?

Joy, for me, is kind of like that.

It’s an elusive emotion. I know I should have it in abundance. I know God has it for me in levels I can’t even imagine. And I know that as a Christian, I should be able to exhibit it with all my heart no matter what my life circumstances are. It is a “fruit of the Spirit,” after all, so, therefore, I should have a well full of it from which I can daily fill my bucket.

And yet, many times in my life, I have experienced exactly the opposite.

I’ve had times of darkness. Times of feeling empty. Moments of uncertainty. Seasons of pain. And yes, seasons of victory.

And like the sand in my grasp, joy can be present in all those experiences, yet it drains away at the same time.

As Christian men, joy is an emotion we need to wrestle with. Sure, we are great at cheering at the football game, taking pride in the work we do with our hands, and making our lives look good on the outside.

But does that mean we actually have joy?

Traditionally, in the third week of Advent, we celebrate the “joy” of Christ’s arrival. Over the next week, we will examine the emotion of joy in several different biblical contexts.

My prayer is that you will find joy in life's victories, but also in darkness, in times of emptiness, and in any uncertainty or pain.

Prayer: Jesus, You are the giver of joy. Help me this week to see where You have given me joy even when I can’t see it. Amen.

Reflection: Make a list of moments where you were filled with joy. Take time to thank Jesus for them. Make a list of some of the moments in your life where joy seemed to be present but draining at the same time. Then, as you journey this week, take time to ask Jesus where His joy was in those times. He may just surprise you with the answer!