Finding No Joy In Life

Finding No Joy in Life                                                           March 6, 2022

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy made be made full.” (John 15:10-11)

“But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” (John 17:13)

“And these things we (apostles) write, so that our joy (in Christ) may be made complete (by being in you as well).” (I John 1:4)

It’s hard to believe that Jesus had any joy while living here on earth considering He was often misunderstood, rejected, mistreated and contradicted by the Jewish religious leaders of His day and at times by His own siblings (John 7:1-9).  He even knew that one of His disciples would betray Him while another would deny Him.  Also He was aware that He would be delivered up and die a terrible death for the sins of the world.

So, what joy did Christ have that He wanted His disciples to have?

• He wanted them to experience the oneness He had with God, His Father (John 17:1-26)
• He wanted them to know His heavenly Father as He knew Him (John 14:1-11; 17:3)
• He wanted them to discover His peace, a peace that the world could never give them (John 14:27; 16:33)
• He wanted them to understand His victory over loneliness (John 8:29)
• He wanted them to experience His joy in suffering for the sake of accomplishing God’s will (I Peter 2:21-25; 4:12-19)
• He wanted them to share in His joy of serving others (Matthew 20:1-20-28)
• He wanted them to realize the joy that comes in giving versus receiving (Acts 20:35)
• He wanted them to experience all the blessings that come in following Him (Matthew 5:1-48; 6:1-34; 7:1-29)
• He wanted them to have an abundant life (John 10:10)

This joy wasn’t just for the twelve disciples but for all those who would truly follow Him.  It is not a temporary joy like what the world offers but a continual happiness and contentment in one’s life that can only come to them through the Lord.

So be honest with yourself.  Are you experiencing such joy in your life?  Even in His suffering and dying on the cross Jesus had joy in His heart for He was accomplishing the plan of God by becoming the Savior of the world.

Regardless of what’s happening in your life right now you can have such joy.  But before you’ll ever discover it you have to surrender your life and your heart to Jesus and His will for your life.  

Brian Thompson