“As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way. . . sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:4, 10
A sentiment we hear often during the Christmas season is joy to the world. There are times when it can seem pretty hard to feel joy, aren’t there? Sometimes we face a specific event that seems to kill the joy in our hearts. Other times, there have been difficult circumstances that seem to just go on and on and we aren’t sure we can see an end in sight. Situations like this can make it feel as if the hope and joy have drained right out of our toes. In the verses quoted above, those three little dots stand for a great deal. In the intervening verses, Paul mentions things like beatings, imprisonments, riots, and sleepless nights. But he also mentions the power of God, glory, and good reports. In other words, joy is not dependent on the outer circumstances we face.
If joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances, where does joy come from? Is joy a matter of sticking our heads in the sand and ignoring our circumstances? Paul didn’t do that. He was very aware of all the bad stuff that happened. I think he was able to still experience joy because he had a Godly perspective. First, he was aware that this world is not our home. He knew that what we experience here is temporary. Whether it’s good or bad, this too shall pass. It will all fade away someday when we experience the real reality that is heaven. Secondly, Paul knew that the best this world has to offer is peanuts compared to the glorious riches we find in Christ Jesus. I’m struck by his comment that even though we have nothing, we possess everything. How can that be? We may have little or nothing of earthly goods. But if we have Christ, we have all we need. He will supply all our needs, plus so much more. Like joy!
Experiencing joy in the midst of trial is not a matter of ignoring reality. Rather, it’s a matter of knowing what’s truly important. It’s seeing our circumstances from God’s perspective. It’s realizing that no matter what is happening in the world, God’s in control. It’s knowing that our difficult situations are already conquered by Him. We just can’t see the resolution yet but we can know that we are conquerors because God has conquered for us. Joy is understanding that even when we experience emotions of sadness and grief, we have comfort, support and love from God. It’s knowing that all we experience on this earth fades in the light of His glory.
How can the world experience this kind of joy? By knowing the love of our Savior. If we mean what we say, instead of just saying (or singing) “joy to the world,” let’s spread the love of Jesus to everyone we come in contact with. It’s only through Jesus that they will be able to experience joy. The only way joy will spread across the earth is if more and more people come to know Him. May there be a resurgence of the love of Christ across the globe! Joy to the World!