Joyful Joyful
Joyful, Joyful we adore thee. The music is from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and together, the music and lyrics sing of the glory of God and the joy that we have when we are in union with Him.
This post is about joy.
Why joy? Because that is what attracts people to Jesus. Pope Francis once said that Christians should not be sourpusses. We are a people of hope and joy. Others can see that, and they want what we’ve got.
Do you have that joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart? Maybe you wonder.
What is joy?
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22, the fruits of the Spirit are listed as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are a sign that we have been touched by God, that we are friends of God.
Joy is deep and abiding, not a fleeting emotion or dependent on circumstances. It’s different from happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances. I was happy the day I got married. I was happy when my son was born. I was happy to be with my siblings and mom at our family reunion. The circumstances made me happy. Joy is different. It stays with us no matter our circumstances because it doesn’t come from the world. The martyrs were joyful as they were being led to their deaths. The apostles sang with joy after being punished by the Pharisees for teaching about Jesus. We can be joyful in the most difficult situations.
Joy comes from unity with God. When we are one with God, we contemplate His greatness and love. Ps 16:11 says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” If you want joy, deepen your relationship with God. Remain in His presence.
Joy comes when we do God’s will. Ecclesiastes 9:7 tells us: “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.” When we are doing God’s will, it fills us with joy. It’s how I feel after leading a retreat or facilitating a good meeting. I’m on cloud nine because the Holy Spirit was active, and I know it.
Joy is loud. Sing for joy, we hear in Psalm 5. Shout with joy (Psalms 27 & 32). Joy is not boring. It’s not hidden. It can’t be quiet. The mountains, hills, and trees sing for joy (Isaiah 61:10). Don’t hide your joy. It’s as useless as hiding your light under a basket. People should see and hear our joy! That’s how it becomes contagious.
Joy cannot be taken away. In John 16:22, Jesus said to the apostles, You will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice. But you will see me again and have joy, and no one can take it away from you. Not even persecution and death, which was the future for the apostles. In the same way, when we have the joy of God, it cannot be taken away from us.
Joy is present in the cross. James 1:2 tells us to “Count it all joy when you meet trials.” Joy comes in the cross. Because...
Joy produces other fruits: peace, hope, strength, healing. (James 1:3-4) Trials strengthen us, and when we persevere, we are filled even more with joy at what God has done in and for us, at how God, in His love and mercy, has carried us through the storm.
Joy is the first fruits of eternal glory. Psalm 16:11 reads, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” We have it now only dimly. In heaven, it will be overwhelming! So the joy we experience in this life is nothing compared to what is to come. And the joy we have today can be even greater.
Obstacles to Joy
There are obstacles to joy, and they come from us. God is not stingy! He wants to give us joy. We are the problem. Here are some ways we block the joy of God’s grace:
We have a distorted image of God that keeps us from trusting Him as a good Father. There are many distorted images of God in our world. Scary God, Vengeful God, Distant God, and more. He is not any of those things. These distorted images often come from our experiences with our earthly fathers. It’s easier to believe in a loving, generous Father God if we had that kind of father here on earth.
Dwelling on the past or fearing the future. If we focus on the past, and our past was good, we become dissatisfied with the present. We want the “good old days” and block the joy of embracing where God has us today. If we focus on the past, and the past was bad, we might hold resentment, blaming those who caused our brokenness, wallowing in misery and unforgiveness. I can’t receive joy today when my mind is stuck in the past. In a similar way, if I focus on the future, it can lead to fears of what might be. I try to control things when I have no control. We must live in the present moment because joy is in the present.
Avoiding the sacraments (Baptism, Mass, Confession). Baptism brings us into the family of God and opens us up to the Holy Spirit and His gifts and fruits. We need to worship in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because that is what God calls us to do. It’s why He called Israel out of Egypt. Worship is when we lift our hearts and minds to God, which should bring us joy. And we need the healing that comes through confession. There is joy in hearing the words of absolution, knowing we are right with God and that He is mercy. When I stay away from the sacraments, I choose something other than God, and I won’t receive joy because it comes from the third person of the Trinity.
Attachment to things of the world. What do I live for? What, if it were gone, would make my life miserable? Those are attachments. If I’m attached to something, maybe I think that will bring me happiness. But God wants more. He wants me to have joy. Some of the most joyful people I have met are from third-world countries, and they have nothing. The only good attachment is God.
Lack of prayer or silence before God. We cannot grow deeper without spending time with the one who loves us. Relationships don’t grow without investment of time. And part of that time must be in silence. We have to be silent to hear His voice. If I don’t take time for prayer, I will not know joy.
Receiving Joy
If those are the obstacles, what is the remedy? How can we live with joy? How can we have more joy? We know God wants to shower us with the grace of joy that comes from living in His presence. Here are some ways to be open to the joy of the Holy Spirit:
Live with gratitude. Consciously thank God throughout the day. Stop complaining. Ps 118:24) says, This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it. There is always something to thank God for. When I put Noah to bed, we say prayers. The first one is “Thank you, God, for…” And Noah always has a lot of thank you prayers. This is a great habit to have, and I hope it stays with him his whole life.
Pray. If joy is the Presence of God, we need to spend time developing that relationship and getting to know Him as a good Father. Spend time in Scripture and ask, What can I learn about God from this? What does it say about God’s love for me? That’s praying through Scripture. Do that. And then sit quietly with God and speak to Him from your heart.
Be in Community. My pastor said, "Community is the support group for believers." Genesis tells us that it is not good for man to be alone. That’s not just for marriage. We need other believers to lift us up, to remind us of God’s goodness. Their joy will rub off on us, and our joy will rub off on them.
Get Physical. Exercise; move your body, and endorphins will kick in. You will gain strength and energy. Couch potatoes get sluggish. For me, that means wasting time watching TV shows or scrolling online. Sometimes I need to force myself to get moving, and when I do, I can experience joy again. Wasting my time laying around never brings me joy.
Serve others. It is said that it is better to give than to receive. We know how good it feels when we help someone in need. There is often a deep sense of satisfaction when we do something meaningful for another person. After all, who benefits the most from serving—the one who gives or the one who receives? When we do God’s will, it brings us joy.
Keep God at the center of your life. This is the most important action we can take to live a life of joy. A Godly life is a joyful life. Too often our lives are separated— work here, family there, and God somewhere else. When we integrate all parts of our life around God as the center, we will know the joy He has promised.
No matter what amount of joy you have today, there is more. God wants you and me to have an abundant life, one filled with joy, and other gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. If you have an obstacle, get rid of it. Ask God for more. And you will sing Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.
Questions for prayer:
1. Have you experienced the joy of the Holy Spirit as distinct from the emotion of happiness? How can you tell the difference?
2. What obstacles might be blocking God’s joy in your life?
3. What can you do to be more open to God’s joy?