Tag Archives: Chesterton

The Joyful Christian

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“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be full.”
(John 15:11 (ESV))

Why is it that if you were to ask people to describe the Christian life, joy would be one of the last things mentioned?  We may talk a lot about sin and salvation, the glory and praise of God in worship, discipleship and spiritual growth, mission and evangelism, social justice and helping those in great need: but how often do we talk about joy.  As much attention as we give joy in the church today, you’d think it were an afterthought, a pleasant but unexpected consequence of God’s gracious work of salvation.  Looking at a lot of Christians today (including pastors), you might even think that joy is optional for the Christian life.  We know we will expect hardship and persecution for our faith, and it shows on our faces.

But this isn’t the way things are meant to be.  Joy is integral to the Christian life.  If you have not known joy, if you have not experienced the incomprehensible joy that arises from a certain and unwavering peace in the Lord, then perhaps you have not really known Him.

Consider just the following:

  • There is great joy in the presence of God…
    • Psalm 16:11 “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
  • The news of Jesus’ coming is the source of great joy for all people…
    • Luke 2:10 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
  • Jesus came to bring us joy…
    • John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
  • There is great joy in our salvation in Jesus Christ…
    • Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
  • There is joy in heaven when a sinner is saved…
    • Luke 15:7 (ESV) Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
  • There is joy awaiting us as a reward for faithfulness in this life – Matthew 25:21
    • Matthew 25:21 (ESV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
  • When we know and worship the living Christ we are filled with Joy – Luke 24:52
    • Luke 24:52 (ESV) And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
  • We experience joy even in the midst of suffering…
    • James 1:2–4 (ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

 The Westminster Shorter Catechism even goes so far as to say that joy is part of the very purpose of man.  You know the quote, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”  We spend a lot of time talking about and working for the glory of God, but never stop to connect the dots in that if we are really glorifying God, we will also find great joy in His presence.  Any glorying that does not lead to our experience of joy is vanity, and any joy that is not rooted in the glory of God is frivolous.

We are intended for joy.  G.K. Chesterton wrote, “Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial.  Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul.  Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labor by which all things live.”

Grace and peace… and Joy be with you!

SDG

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength…

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During my second year of ministry I was ready to quit and find something else to do.  I was frustrated with myself and with the church, and wondered why God would have called me to this ministry in the first place.  I had become so involved in the business, politics, and issues of “Pastoral Ministry” that I had been neglecting the actual ministry that I was called to do.  I felt dry, empty, and passionless; and it was showing in my work.  Fortunately, God brought another pastor into my life who told me, “Remember that which brings you the greatest joy in ministry, and let that be your focus rather than all the other busyness.”  Those words pulled me back from the edge, and helped me more than he could know.

At first I thought he was talking about the things I like to do as a pastor; teaching, preaching, visiting, and that by doing these things I would find new joy in ministry.  Doing these things does bring me joy and satisfaction in my work, but only temporarily.  What I have discovered is “that which brings me greatest joy” refers not to the things I do, but the one who calls me to do them.  The thing which brings me greatest joy is the time I spend in fellowship and communion with God.  When I let slip my time in God’s Word and my time before God in prayer all the joy and passion is drained from my work.  But when I remember the Lord and seek His face, when I “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” all other things seem to fall into place.

Each of us goes through times when it is difficult to find any joy in life.  The death of a loved one, the diagnosis of a terrifying disease, a broken relationship, the loss of a job – these can shake us in ways as to cause us to lose our joy.  When all joy is lost, it is easy for us to want to quit, to pack it in and go home.

But let us remember what the Psalmist says:  “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning… To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy… You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent” (Psalm 30).  When we walk closely with the Lord, when we cry out to him in our sorrow and loss, He will turn our mourning into dancing; He will fill our hearts with joy. 

G.K. Chesterton put it this way,

“Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial.  Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul.  Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labor by which all things live” (Chesterton, G.K., Orthodoxy, (New York: Double Day, 1959) Pg. 159).

The Spirit teaches that while it is appropriate to mourn our loss and grieve our sins, we should always remember that “the joy of the LORD is [our] strength” (Neh 8:10) There is a time for mourning, but joy comes as the morning.  The Christian life is all like one of a spring shower, when the rain-drops weave a mist that hides the sunshine; and yet the hidden sun is in every sparkling drop, and they are all saturated and steeped in its light.  ‘The joy of the Lord’ is the natural result and offspring of all Christian faith.

Remember that which brings you greatest joy; and may the presence of God be your joy and strength. 

Grace and Peace,

SDG