We were blessed to have Leona speak on Sunday! She had a chance to share about her family’s trip to Thailand in June, as well as speak on the topic of joy. If you missed it, you can view her sharing below, and if you’re able please listen in prayer about supporting the Lee family in prayer and through financial support for their mission trip.
I think the topic of joy is one that we don’t often think much about as Christians. When we think about what it means to be a person of faith, we may think of Bible study, or discipleship, or prayer, or attending church. But rarely do we think about the fact that being a follower of Jesus means being someone filled with the joy of the Lord. As Leona was sharing about joy on Sunday, two things stuck out to me.
First, it’s the fact that the joy of the Lord is not like all other kinds of joy in life. We can imagine the joy a child might feel when they open their presents on Christmas morning. Or the joy or being reunited with a friend or family member we haven’t seen in a while. Or the joy of enjoying our favourite food or coffee. These are all real sources of joy that we should be grateful for!
But what is unique about the joy of the Lord is that it’s source is not good circumstances or feelings. Leona quoted Psalm 30:11 that says,
“You have turned my mourning into dancing, you have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”
Our verse for this spring season (James 1:2-4) says,
“consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”
The joy of the Lord isn’t a result of good circumstances. It comes straight from the Lord, who is able to turn morning is joy, and is able to give us a “pure joy” even in the midst of trials. It is in our difficulties that we can find the Lord and even find the joy of the Lord that comes from being confident that Jesus will hold us in every circumstance in life.
A second thing that stuck out to me was when Leona was sharing about choosing joy. Because the joy of the Lord is not attached to only our circumstances, we don’t need to wait for our circumstances to change before we can have the joy of the Lord. We don’t need to wait until we have enough, or are satisfied enough, or are accomplished enough before we can experience the joy of the Lord.
Instead, the joy of the Lord is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). That means that as we grow in the Lord and we grow in the fruit of God’s Spirit, we will naturally grow in joy. Joy is the outcome of our relationship with Jesus. When we choose Jesus, we choose joy, even though it may take some time for that fruit of the Spirit to develop and grow.
As we continue to grow as individuals and together as a church family, may we also grow in the kind of joy that endures through difficult circumstances. As we put our ear to God even during the trials of life, may we be able to have that pure joy that only comes from the Lord.