Finding Joy In Christ This Christmas
I was in Bible study last week and the lady sitting beside me is 77 years old, always has a smile on her face, lives with her husband, successful, and have raised their children well. She has always seems like the happiest person; full of vitality, joy, and peace. We were asked to share our prayer request with the person sitting next to us and she turned to me and said she is in a funk this Christmas season. She’s too busy and it has overwhelmed her. She has gotten to the point where she doesn’t even know where to begin because there is too much to do.
I looked at her for a moment in shock. It crossed my mind that if this woman who always exuberates Christ’s joy is lacking in joy, the rest of the world is really struggling to find joy this Christmas season. How do we not only find joy, but how do we keep it once we have it?
The next day, I was driving to a dear friend’s house whose husband is dying of cancer. They have called hospice into their home to help him during his end-of-life transition. I hear a song on the radio blaring out, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” I can’t help but say, “Is it the most wonderful time of the year?” We are surrounded by sorrow, death, joy-draining busyness, deadlines, and fear. The lack of joy in the Christian life is affecting us all.
My thoughts have been consumed with how to bring joy back into my life, I go to church this past weekend and my pastor is preaching on joy. One thing he said stuck with me, “As Christians, we are commanded to be people of joy.” 1 Thessalonians tells us to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” He then quoted Billy Sunday saying, “If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christian life.” That placed the nail in the coffin for me. As Christians, we are gifted with joy. In Galatians 5:22, we see that joy is the second fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a character of God that never changes. God always has joy which means we are always blessed with joy. God’s character is always in us. But do we choose to display that joy in our lives?
You may be suffering this Christmas season as you grieve the loss of a loved one, fear the financial strain that present buying will place on your family, overwhelm yourself with busyness of things to do, or come to terms with your imperfection. The struggle to find joy is real. Billy Sunday says that we can be certain our source of joy will remain forever. While the rest of the world comes and goes, the joy through Christ does not disappear. No matter what is happening in our lives in this very moment, we can have joy in God’s love. The world may not always show us love but in the end we know whose love really matters. As we abide in Christ this Christmas season, we can rest in His joy.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Advent is a time that reminds us that our joy is found in Christ. We celebrate the birth of Jesus this time of year, but all year we can live in anticipation of the second coming of Christ. One day He will come and wipe away all sorrow. He will save us from the despair the world places on us and fill us with inexpressible joy. We can live with hope that the joy of Christ is in us today, tomorrow, and all eternity.
As I think back to the song, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, I can sing that song all year long. Because of Jesus, it is always the most wonderful time. My joy is in Him, not on what is around me.
Digging Deeper:
Read 1 Peter 1:3-9
How are you misplacing your joy this Christmas season? Are you looking for joy in all the wrong places?
What do you know about Jesus that brings you joy?
What is Jesus placing on your heart this Christmas season as you search for joy in Him?