The nature of joy
Sorry I haven't written anything in so long. School just started, and I was also finishing up an online ethics class. This leaves little time for pontification, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, today I am thinking about joy. Joy is something that we read about and hear about in church quite a bit, but I don't think we really know what it means. When we hear the word "joy" we automatically associate it with happiness. And in turn, when I try to define happiness I come up with the following observation: happiness is generally an emotional state based on favorable circumstances. Maybe this is a narrow definition, but as far as most of us experience happiness, I think this is pretty accurate.
But how does the Bible use the word "joy?" In Nehemiah 8:10 the people of Israel are told that "the joy of the Lord is your strength." This is interesting, because this exhortation came after a reading of the law. The remnant had just returned from exile. They were facing problems on all sides. The people were being harassed by foreigners that had settled the land in their absence. Even the wealthy Israelites were exploiting the poor ones by charging interest on loans for land. Ezra and Nehemiah had called the assembly for a reading of the law as a sort of reorientation for the community. When the people heard the law, the Bible tells us that they wept.
Why were they so unhappy? Probably because the reality of the situation caught up with them. They had lost their entitlement to the land because of their apostasy. They probably were reminded that God had warned them before about the terrible consequences of breaking the covenant. The law likely reminded them of the presence of God among the people, something that had been symbolized by a temple that now lay in ruins. The people became keenly aware of their separation from God.
And yet, Ezra and Nehemiah tell the people not to weep, but to celebrate. Any why? Because "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Notice that this is not the joy of the people, it is the joy of the Lord. There was no joy inherent in the situation. The circumstance, in their perception, lacked any redeeming features that would lead to happiness. But they did not have to look within themselves or their situation to find joy. The joy they sought came, like grace, directly from God.
I think that we have a limited comprehension of the true nature of joy. It is not mere emotion, but a character trait descriptive of the character of God; indeed, it is also a fruit of the Spirit. When we try to manufacture joy out of our circumstances we often come up short. It may similar to trying to manufacture righteousness.
Anyway, today I am thinking about joy. Joy is something that we read about and hear about in church quite a bit, but I don't think we really know what it means. When we hear the word "joy" we automatically associate it with happiness. And in turn, when I try to define happiness I come up with the following observation: happiness is generally an emotional state based on favorable circumstances. Maybe this is a narrow definition, but as far as most of us experience happiness, I think this is pretty accurate.
But how does the Bible use the word "joy?" In Nehemiah 8:10 the people of Israel are told that "the joy of the Lord is your strength." This is interesting, because this exhortation came after a reading of the law. The remnant had just returned from exile. They were facing problems on all sides. The people were being harassed by foreigners that had settled the land in their absence. Even the wealthy Israelites were exploiting the poor ones by charging interest on loans for land. Ezra and Nehemiah had called the assembly for a reading of the law as a sort of reorientation for the community. When the people heard the law, the Bible tells us that they wept.
Why were they so unhappy? Probably because the reality of the situation caught up with them. They had lost their entitlement to the land because of their apostasy. They probably were reminded that God had warned them before about the terrible consequences of breaking the covenant. The law likely reminded them of the presence of God among the people, something that had been symbolized by a temple that now lay in ruins. The people became keenly aware of their separation from God.
And yet, Ezra and Nehemiah tell the people not to weep, but to celebrate. Any why? Because "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Notice that this is not the joy of the people, it is the joy of the Lord. There was no joy inherent in the situation. The circumstance, in their perception, lacked any redeeming features that would lead to happiness. But they did not have to look within themselves or their situation to find joy. The joy they sought came, like grace, directly from God.
I think that we have a limited comprehension of the true nature of joy. It is not mere emotion, but a character trait descriptive of the character of God; indeed, it is also a fruit of the Spirit. When we try to manufacture joy out of our circumstances we often come up short. It may similar to trying to manufacture righteousness.