19 December 2021

The Lord is my strength and my defence; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

- Psalms 68:3 (NIVUK)

We often confuse joy with happiness but the two are very different. Joy is an inner contentment while happiness is an outward expression. Joy can endure hardships, persecution, struggles and suffering while happiness is tied closely with circumstances. While we talk about the pursuit of happiness, the Bible says that joy isn’t pursued, it is given from the source of all joy, Jesus Christ.

When the angels appeared to the Shepherds on the night that Jesus was born, they told them they had an incredible message to share. Their message not only made the shepherds happy, a baby was born, but the message also filled them with joy – the restoration of all things had begun!

I often think of Mary and the joy she experienced from the time the angel Gabriel had spoken to her, to the time she met Jesus face to face at the end of her life. Mary had been filled with joy while she also endured heartache. She gave birth to the Messiah, taught him how to walk and how to talk. She had complete strangers tell her the most amazing things about her son, both good and bad. Mary watched as Jesus grew in his ministry and she must have seen how dangerous it was becoming. She tried to interfere at times in the work he was doing, but Jesus would not be stopped. Mary watched her son die on the cross and then saw him three days later as a different Son! Moments of such great sorrow, happiness, fear, excitement, anticipation and dread, and through it all – joy. The consistent strength that comes from the Lord.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It grows beside love, peace, patience, kindness, g