Thoughts on Joy: Finding Strength When Life is Heavy

Standing in the literal ruins of their city, weeping over their failures, the people of Israel felt entirely weak and exposed. It was in that exact moment of brokenness that Nehemiah spoke some of the most famous words in Scripture: "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." It’s a beautiful verse, but if we are honest, choosing joy feels incredibly difficult when life gets heavy. Following the passing of Margi’s parents this last month, our family has been navigating the bittersweet tension of grief and eternal hope. Through loss, we've had to relearn what it means to find strength in the ruins, discovering that true joy is forged by the Holy Spirit precisely when our own strength runs out. 

If we are completely honest, the word "joy" can sometimes feel intimidating—especially when life feels heavy and the grief is fresh. We live in a world that constantly sells us a counterfeit version of joy. It offers a temporary, fragile happiness that requires perfect circumstances to exist. The world tells us that if things are going well, we should be happy. But when those perfect circumstances vanish, our happiness goes right along with them. But biblical joy is completely different. 

The Anatomy of True Joy 

To understand true joy, it helps to look at the language of the New Testament. The Greek word for joy is chara. It is closely tied to its root word charis, which means "grace." According to Strong's Greek Dictionary, that root literally means "to lean towards" or "to be favorably disposed. "Therefore, biblical joy (chara) is grace recognized. Joy is the spiritual soul-satisfaction that automatically flourishes within a person once they truly comprehend and rest in the grace of God. It is our soul's natural reaction to the work of God, whether that work is already fulfilled or still a future promise. Joy is not a fleeting emotion or a product of positive thinking. It is a deep, supernatural anchor forged in the soul by the Holy Spirit. Our circumstances do not define our story—God does. Happiness depends on what happens around us, but biblical joy depends on Who lives in us. Because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, our joy can be just as stable as He is. It is a quiet confidence that whispers, "Things are hard right now, but God is still on the throne, my eternity is secure, and His promises are true." 

Finding Strength in the Ruins 

We see this beautifully illustrated in Nehemiah 8:10: Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. "When Nehemiah spoke these words, the people of Israel weren't celebrating an easy victory. They were standing in the literal ruins of Jerusalem. They were listening to the reading of God's Law and weeping bitterly over their past failures. They felt weak, exposed, and entirely overwhelmed by the situation they were in. Yet, it was precisely in that place of brokenness that they were reminded: God's joy would be their strength. Centuries later, the Psalmist echoed this same invitation to anchor ourselves in God's unchanging nature rather than our temporary situations: Sing to the LORD, all the world! Worship the LORD with joy; come before him with happy songs! Acknowledge that the LORD is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, we are his flock. Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving; go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him. The LORD is good; his love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever. — Psalm 100:1-5

Three Ways to Practice Joy Today 

When the clouds of life gather, how do we practically hold onto this supernatural anchor? Here are three things I find incredibly helpful: 

1. Shift Your Gaze Is there a difficult circumstance that has been robbing you of your peace lately? Instead of staring at the problem, look at the character of God. Choose to actively rehearse God’s past faithfulness in your life. 

2. Choose Joy Rejoicing is often a deliberate choice before it is an emotional feeling. Tomorrow morning, wake up and intentionally thank God for His presence before you look at your to-do list, your phone, or the news. 

3. Lean into the Spirit We cannot manufacture this kind of joy on our own strength. Ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate His supernatural fruit within your heart today, trusting that His grace is always

Early in my life as a new believer I lived in a Christian commune called the Lighthouse Ranch. It was a five acre former coastguard station located on a high bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean. It was the early 1970's and most had been searching something that brought meaning to their disenfranchised life. It was here that the building blocks of Christian truth was sown into my heart. The central theme was “Practice the Word, be doers of the Word, not just hearers”. We were taught that in practicing the Word we would come to understand it. I still try to live by that principle. We captured by the love of God and opened our community to all. We had a sign posted above the door to the main building that read “Whom so ever may come”. The four years that I lived at the ranch I saw hundreds of folks come through, many giving their lives to Christ. There was over a hundred of us living there and you can imagine the frictions and misunderstandings that can happened when so many live together in close proximity. Many who came had little interest in Jesus they just wanted shelter and free meals. There was always tension, those who wanted to follow Christ and those who were just there to consume our resources. It was easy to become suspicious and cynical about those who would come.

Like those at the Lighthouse we need to be careful that these negative attitudes don't creep into our lives when we are disappointed in people. If we are honest we all have the tendency to judge, to discount people who are different from us, or who believe differently than us. The homeless person, the immoral person, the.... (you fill in the blank). This is were Practice the Word comes in.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Col 3:12.

Consider, Jesus chose you when you had nothing to offer Him, He loved you and made a way for you. He dearly loves you and is committed to you. He made you holy. This is foundational and the basis for any virtue in our lives. With this truth firmly in our hearts the scripture tells us to clothe ourselves, to put on compassion like a garment. It is more than a feeling of good will. It is a decision to show the love of God. It is practical, we chose to be kind, chose to be gentle and patient. How do we get there? The answer is humility. The word humility from the Greek carries a deep sense of one’s moral littleness. All humanity is cut from the same cloth, without Christ we are a sinful selfish people. The root was bad and we were powerless to change our nature. This was our condition when Christ gave his life for us. The only difference between those we disparage is what Jesus has done for us. Because of Him we are changed and empowered to live a life that is pleasing to God.

2 Cor 5:17 says “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.”

Choosing to a compassionate people and to love people flows from our understanding God's love for us. It is a response of gratitude. Think of this, you were rescued for the purpose of reconciling people to Christ!

When I think back to those years at the Lighthouse Ranch, the crucible of difficult relationships caused me to get a glimpse of how much God cared for a wretch like me, surely He cared for those who I struggled with. I'm thankful that as a church family that we are committed to ministries like Celebrate Recovery and Mission of Hope. I'm thankful for the heart we have for our community. Let us never grow weary in well doing

Appreciation

Appreciation is the grease that keeps relationships moving. Nothing is more powerful to convey the value of an individual. Genuine appreciation feeds the soul of the giver as well as the one who receives it. Many of the letters Paul writes starts with expressions of appreciation for example in Colossians he writes "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,” (Col1:3) Paul conveys his appreciation for the believers in Thessalonica, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? (1Th 3:9). It is easy to overlook these as a simple greeting but the represented more. It was a great encouragement to the church knowing that Paul was thinking and praying for them.

Why is appreciation so lacking in many relationships? I think it is rooted in the expectations we have of others. Thoughts like “well its their job”, or “they are only doing what they are supposed to do” It is so easy to let expectations blind us to the opportunities to show people we value them. I have made many friends in the service industries by going out of my way to thank them for doing a good job. Think of the people that serve us here at SCF. Ushers, greeters, coffee makers, children's workers, communion preparers, people who come in early and give of their time. Do you ever think to tell them you appreciate them?

How does appreciation benefit the giver? 

 For one thing it gets our minds of ourselves. It opens our eyes to see the good in people. It is an antidote to pessimistic thinking. When I pause and see someone giving of their time and goodwill it challenges me to do likewise. When I express gratitude it changes my perception, I begin to see the abundance of good in the little things. I learn to love in a practical way when I really stop and notice people. Dale Carnegie an American writer and lecturer, believed that it is possible to change other people's behavior by changing one's behavior toward them. He wrote “the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated and the desire to be important.” Think about this in terms of your own life, don't we all want to be noticed and valued? Doesn't you heart soar a little when someone notices and comments on your efforts? We have the power to lift people up. When we bless others we are blessed in return. Pro 11:25 says it well “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed: those who help others are helped.”

How does appreciation benefit the receiver?

It tells us that we are noticed and we are significant. So many times the encouragement that comes from others reaffirms God's love for us. Proverbs paints a work picture of the power of encouragement  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Pro 25:11) I remember when I was a young believer I was discouraged and feeling insignificant. I lived in a Christian commune and had the responsibility of milking 3 cows. I was a city boy and did not like cows at all. I milked the cows and walked the 200 yards back to the kitchen carrying 10 gals of milk in the rain feeling ready to throw in the towel and leave and go back to the streets. We I arrived there was a lady by the name of MaryLu Kelly that met me at the door and spoke genuine words of appreciation, she told me how much the milk meant to the single mothers and how Jesus loved the way I served, she told me I was a man of God! It was life changing for me. I still carry her encouragement in my heart after 45 years. You and I have a powerful gift we can give, to notice people, to build them up.

It has been a while.

It has been quite a while since I have posted any thing on my blog.  I can't really explain why except so many life changes.  I am in different season now with a new perspectives on the journey.  Both spiritual and personal.  I will be adding new posts regularly. Stay tuned

Christmas Thoughts

“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a     son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High”  (Luke 1:30-32)

A baby born in an animal stable a to a young teenage girl.  We romanticize this picture but it must of be terrifying for Mary and Joseph.  I remember the birth of our first child. We were just kids really. Watching Margi struggle through a long difficult labor was the most intense and terrifying experience.  Yet as we held or newborn baby our hearts filled with thanksgiving and expectations for the future.  That is the nature of hope, to look to the future with an expectation of good things.  I think Mary and Joseph lived their lives with hope in their hearts. They couldn't not see the whole journey laid out for them, but they had hope.  The  promise of God sustains, it causes us to look to the future with courage, faith and expectations of God's grace working in our lives.

Relationships

Building the Church is the forge that brings out the best or the worst in people. Anyone who is involved in church work has felt the disappointment of fractured relationships or the pain of friendship that has turned sour because of a commitment to serving the Lord and His people. Maybe it has happened when you chose to support a leader when others were disenfranchised. Maybe someone has become offended and you refuse to take part in the bitterness that followed. Some times we feel loss when we just follow the Lord’s leading to a different place and relationships fade in time. It isn’t a much talked about part of the package of the disciple’s life, but it is a very real reality. Peter questioned Jesus on this very issue...Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Following Christ will mean that some relationships will not continue. Jesus directs His followers to look at the bigger picture in faith. If we are honest we gain far more than we lose. When I look at the 40+ years of serving Jesus I have found a deep reservoir of peace and a strong sense of purpose. I have seen God bring so many quality people into my life. I have found that the deep relationships in my life are built on something deeper than the whims of superficial ‘what’s in it for me”. The committed followers of Christ understand what it means to lay down their life for one another. They know what it means to labor together for the expansion of the Kingdom. My deepest friendships that have endured for decades are those who have given their life to, and paid a price to see the Kingdom move forward. Many of them have experienced loss and yet are compelled to continue to have an open heart and an inclusive spirit. Why can they stay open and not cynical?  Because they know the story is ultimately not about them, but serving Christ and His purposes. They have settled the issue; they look to eternity ultimately choosing Christ above all.

Standing Firm

It is important to remember that as Christians that our citizenship is in another Kingdom.  Our lives are to be spent in allegiance to another King.I have been musing the last few months of how much our culture is changing and I have been some what alarmed to see many Christians cave into the pressure to conform to present culture.  Biblical norms are being abandoned and there is a growing indifference to what the Bible teaches.  Being a Christian is more than being nice people, at its heart is an allegiance to Jesus, to embrace His values and His word.  Many will embrace God's word when it speaks of love and grace, yet when it comes to something that has a requirement of them or a commandment they feel uncomfortable with they discount it.  We can't escape what the Bible says is wrong, it is wrong.  When the Bible is at odds with current culture we must stand firm.  When the Bible points us to being loyal to Him and His Church we must do it.  James in his epsitle writes...

"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."   (James 1:21-25  ESV) 

Jim Durkin who led an amazing movement during the Jesus People movement spoke of his own experience when he turned away from accepting the whole counsel of the Bible.  His church in shambles, his marriage broken, alone in a cabin with his life a mess he cried out to God, "why has all this happened to me?"  God spoke to him and said, "you have added three words to My words, you say "the Bible says, 'but we know...',  from now on accept and do what My word says and in the dong of it you will come to understand it.  That encounter changed Jim's life, and as he taught this truth it changed the lives of thousands of young people. Some will say I am being simplistic yet I know of no other way to live.  We are comanded to love our neighbor, lets do it.  We are to care for the broken hearted, lets do it.  We are to call sin for what it is, and offence to God, yet speak of mercy and forgiveness.  Lets walk in the fear of the Lord, and yet be confident in our standing with Him.  Lets be the 
the be ambassadors for Christ that we are called to be.