“If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.[1]” Jesus
Jesus speaks of us having His joy, a quality of joy which is unaffected by circumstances, a joy which motivates and gives endurance. He wants us to have this complete joy. Seems joy is more than a “nice to have” optional part of our lives. It’s something Jesus intends for us.
Jesus spoke the above words the night before His crucifixion. Yet, even knowing what awaited Him, Jesus speaks of full joy. What’s the quality of His joy and how do we step into it?
Joy Defined
As a noun, joy is defined as a feeling of extreme cheerfulness related to acquiring or expecting to acquire something good.[2] Others would argue that joy is not an emotion at all, but a deep attitude or belief which soothes even the most sorrowful situations. [3] These two aspects of joy seem contradictory, but we see both in what we read about the joy of Jesus.
The Joy of Jesus
Motivated by Joy
The writer of Hebrews says Jesus’ joy motivated Him to endure the cross:
Looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).
Jesus, in anticipation of something good (our redemption) had a deep joy which gave Him the strength to endure the cross. His trust in God’s plan of our reconciliation motivated Him to bravely hold fast in the midst of excruciating[4] pain.
Question: When you think of the joy of being with Jesus forever, does it give you strength? Does your trust in this benefit motivate you to endure a difficulty you’re currently facing?
Joy in what pleases God
Luke writes that after the seventy two returned with joy after having been sent out two by two to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near, Jesus greatly rejoiced and praised the Lord. It gave Him great joy that what was happening was pleasing in His Father’s eyes.[5]
Jesus was full of joy and exceedingly glad to experience what pleased His Father God.
Question: What is happening around you now that is pleasing to God?
Spend a few moments rejoicing that your Loving Father is a Sovereign King whose greater purposes will not be thwarted.
Joy of Salvation
In Luke 15, beginning at verse 4, Jesus gives the parable of the lost sheep. He tells us of how the owner is full of joy when the sheep is found and urges others to rejoice with him. Comparatively, Jesus speaks of the joy experienced in all of heaven when one sinner repents.
Salvation means obtaining the gift of the Holy Spirit now and being with God now and forever. Reasons for great joy.
Challenge: Spend a few minutes pondering the far reaching joys of your own salvation. And don’t take for granted the salvation of those you love. Rejoice in salvation.
Receiving the Joy of Jesus?
Jesus wants us to have joy, His joy; the kind of joy which gives us the courage and motivation to endure life’s toughest challenges.
Jesus’ kind of joy comes from us loving others as He’s loved us.
Jesus’ kind of joy is tied to what pleases His Father.
Jesus’ kind of joy is full when a sinner repents and believes in the finished work of Christ for salvation.
Prayer
Lord, I want Your complete joy. I know You want me to have it. I know all difficulties fade in the joy and peace of Your nearness. You tell us our present sufferings are less than nothing compared to the glories to be revealed to us.[6] When I ponder the reality that You want me to share in Your joy, I can scarcely take it in. Lord, I desire the complete joy You intend for me to have. I open my life to receive it. Teach me to obey Paul’s command to rejoice in You at all times.
Amen
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10b ESV).
Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:
Dealing with sadness and disappointment
.[1] John 15:10-12
[2] https://wikidiff.com/gladness/joy
[3] healthpsychology.org/is-there-a-relationship-between-happiness-and-joy
[4] Unbearable pain, literally “out of the cross”
[5] Luke 10:21-22
[6] Romans 8:18
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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