This is the 3rd week of Advent - the word is Joy.
Throughout scripture there are many passages that talk about joy in and through suffering. Often when we read of joy in Scripture, it is partnered with suffering. That's counter to how world thinks. Many assume that joy and suffering are mutually exclusive. But in fact, what Scripture teaches us is how we find the truest joy as it co-exists with pain.
James 1:2-3 is a well-known Scriptures:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you endure trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
Jesus spoke joy in the midst of persecution, trial, and grief in the Gospels (John 16:20-24; Matt. 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23, and more). What this means is that joy is not just an emotion or a feeling. Joy is a conviction, a posture of the heart and mind, a way of life. It is the atmosphere of our being when things are hard. It’s a return to where our real life is found: in the presence of Jesus.
Psalm 16:11 says,
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.”
When suffering happens, there is a way we can access a joy that is supernatural. Joy is found in being near the Lord. Someone has said,
“When suffering comes close, we have a God who comes in closer.”
We see this in the life of Jesus. He stepped down from heaven into a world that was full of pain and grief (Isaiah 9:1-2). When the night felt darkest, He showed up in the middle of it. He was (and is) God with us, living life alongside those He created. He experienced deep levels of suffering that accompany what it means to be fully human. Then ultimately, He carried the burden of all our sin and suffering to the cross, defeating death and darkness forever. His nearness removed the sting of death and replaced it with His presence. His joy.
Advent reminds us that our joy is no longer a product of our circumstances, that true joy has been established by the God who has come near. Joy is the gift of His presence.
May you find yourself this Advent season enveloped in the presence of Jesus and immersed in the fullness of joy found there.
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