While peace is a wonderful thing, it isn’t the same thing as joy. If you recall, the verse that inspired this series was 1 Thessalonians 5:16, which says to be joyful always. So my quest for the source of continuous joy, continues.
My next stop is James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” NIV
I’m not sure about you, be when I face “trails of many kinds” happiness is not the first emotion I jump to! In fact, I’m usually just wishing they were over already. But happiness isn’t the word used here – it says JOY.
So what is the difference? Well, the first thing you may have already gathered, is that we can have joy even when we’re not happy. You see, joy doesn’t come from our circumstances – joy looks beyond them.
Those “trials of many kinds” are the “testing of your faith”. And the “testing of your faith” leads to becoming “mature and complete, not lacking anything”. We should desire to be mature and complete in our faith, this should be something we strive for. So when we face trials or hard times, we can have joy because we know that we are growing and getting closer to our maturity. When it all boils down, our desire for maturity should trump our want for happiness. This is where joy comes in.
Are you thinking to yourself “whoa, wait a minute! There’s no way I’m going to be able to do that!”? Well I’m glad you brought that up. You don’t have to… by yourself. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), meaning it comes from the Holy Spirit within you. The Holy Spirit will help you find your joy in the midst of your “trials of many kinds”.
John 15:5 “I [Jesus] am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” NIV
Jesus is speaking here. He is using a word picture. He says that He (Jesus) is the vine, the Father is the Gardener, and we are the branches. God prunes us (much like a parent disciplines their children), Jesus supports us and gives us strength, and the Holy Spirit enables us to bear fruit. But notice that Jesus says we are to remain in Him. Picture a vine with branches. Now picture one of those branches deciding that it wants to be free from the vine and live on its own. …It’s not going to do very well is it? Just like a real vine with branches, we need to remember our strength comes from the Lord and we need to rely on Him through our hard times. And guess what that will do for us? It will help us to desire a mature and complete faith, which is when our joy comes in!
Turns out Jesus knew all this already: John 15:11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” NIV
Remember to draw your strength from the Lord. Desire a mature and complete faith. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring you His joy.