Joy That Can't Be Taken Away
As much as we'd wish otherwise, we can't avoid sorrow here on this earth. But for the Christian, real joy isn't tied to the absence of sorrow; it is found in the person and presence of Christ.
It’s supposed to be the season of joy, right? But what if, in the middle of all the glitter, carols, and holiday parties, we just can’t shake the feeling that we’re not as happy as we’re “supposed” to be? Sometimes the reasons are real and unavoidable. Sometimes we’re in a season of transition, feeling the loss of what we once had and unsure if what’s ahead will be as good.
Transitions are hard for everyone, but especially as we get older. People say change is good for you—and maybe that’s true for the brain—but I’ll testify: it’s not always good for the back!
My wife and I are stepping into a new ministry in our “retirement years,” hundreds of miles from where we lived for 35 years. Selling a home, buying another, packing, unpacking, hauling our earthly goods—it’s exhausting. It raises the question: Can we lack reasons to feel happy and still be joyful?
Joy for the Unexpecting
When I think about the Christmas story, I imagine the shepherds as the people least expecting joy. They were lower-class, often overlooked. Yet they were the ones God chose first. The greatest announcement in history—the birth of Christ—was delivered to those who assumed they didn’t matter. Suddenly, the night sky filled with angels declaring, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The word for “great” here is mega—the upper end of the scale. Mega joy isn’t just excitement; it’s an overwhelming, awe-filled awakening. The word for “joy” carries the idea of a spiritual epiphany, a deep sense of well-being that rises up from the realization that God sees you, chooses you, and involves you in His story. For the shepherds, that moment made their ordinary, difficult lives feel purposeful. Nothing could steal that joy.
Joy Even in Tragedy
Joy means our hope can’t be taken—not even by life’s worst moments. My wife and I will never forget the day we learned our grandson had cancer. The bottom fell out of our world. We grieved not only for him, but for our kids, knowing the journey they’d be facing as parents. In moments like that, is a quiet, settled sense of peace even possible?
We discovered that joy—real joy—is tied to hope. We clung desperately to the truth that God loved our grandson even more than we did. We held onto the promise that the God who made him also invited him into an eternity free from this broken world. Even if things didn’t turn out the way we hoped, we knew God would not let go of him.
That hope carried us. We found joy in every moment and memory we made in those difficult days, and even more so as he rang the bell when he was done with his chemo!
True Joy Comes from Jesus
Joy can’t be anchored to our circumstances; it floats above them as a gift God offers freely. Life will test us, teach us, and humble us—but it will also point us toward the hope Jesus gives. And out of that hope comes joy. Real joy. And real joy cannot be taken away.
