Joy!
Walking on air. Over the moon. On cloud nine. Grinning from ear to ear. On top of the world. Tickled pink. These are all idioms for joy. “Walking on air” describes joy as a feeling like there is no more burden and not even gravity can get you down. “Over the moon” and “On cloud nine” again connect with weightlessness, but add an out-of-this-world element, because earth is also a place of sadness. I like “grinning from ear to ear” because, when you are really filled with joy, you feel a little silly and joy is so powerful that your body can’t help but express it. And often the expressions of joy can be somewhat embarrassing. (At least if you’ve got no rhythm.)
What I’m about to say may sound strange to some, depending on your understanding of the gifts of Jesus’ Spirit; but there was a time when I was filled with an immense amount of supernatural joy. I had been attending a ministry training school with about eighteen other guys. We were actually on a three-day silent retreat where we were not supposed to talk or communicate at all. Then, the last night, some people came and prayed for us to receive whatever the Spirit of God wanted to give us. After I was prayed for, I remember being filled with joy. This joy was different than any joy I had experienced before. It seemed to have much of the same ingredients, but it was far more powerful and way more pervasive. I literally felt the joy all over my body, to the point where I couldn’t walk normally. My feet felt too springy and all my muscles just wanted to be used at the same time. I was at a silent retreat and everyone was being super-spiritual, but the joy in me was demanding that I run, dance, do push-ups or something like that. Since some guys were weeping, I just walked away with a herky-jerky gate, trying not to be distracting.
It is a wonderful thing to know that one of the fruits of God’s Spirit is joy. It is awesome that the Creator God — Ruler over everything, and the One who orders every facet of creation and our lives — is filled with joy. What may be even more amazing is, time and time again, God has made it clear that what brings Him joy is you and I. When God was creating the world, He would stop and rejoice over what He created each day. But the day He created mankind, He didn’t just say it was good like the other days’ creations, but He said the creation of mankind was very good. We are also told in Zephaniah that God rejoices over His people with singing. Did you hear that? When God looks at you, His first reaction, His most intense feeling and sentiment is pure delight. Yes, Jesus’ Spirit can be grieved by our sins, and even angry with us for the wrongs we do to others and ourselves. But those are secondary feelings and sentiments always subordinate to the great delight and joy every fiber of your being brings to God.
So why am I writing about joy? Because we need it. Because we are commanded by the Scriptures to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Because we are told “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (and, boy, do we need strength these days). Because we are told Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above everyone else. And because the Pharisees thought Jesus was a glutton and wine-bibber because He loves to celebrate so much. I love that!
It is so easy for me to associate only with the “acquainted with grief” side of Jesus. It is so easy for me to look at our world, or the heavy loads on my shoulders, and get weighed down and weary. But the remedy for that — in the life of Jesus and in the rest of the Biblical counsel— is to rejoice. To practice rejoicing. To “put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” To “bless the Lord O my soul.” To know that Jesus’ gave us His teachings so our joy may be complete and full.
Today, seek the heart of Christ and find how much joy is there. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with joy. Don’t pretend the world does not have pain or your life is not full of sorrow, but practice rejoicing in the presence of God. Put on a song and do a little dance. Count your blessings out loud at the top of your lungs. As you do, you will not only be surprised at how joyful our Father in heaven is, but you will find that you are a big reason He is so full of joy.
David