Where does your Joy come from?

I’ve began another book, Joy that Lasts, by Gary Smalley with Al Janssen.   It was recommended to me by my dear friend, Billy Graham. He’s probably not the Billy Graham that comes to mind for many, but he does mine whenever I hear the name. Billy even bought me a copy so I wouldn’t have an excuse not to read it. So I dove into it this weekend.

Smalley suggests that we often find our joy in what we do - as in our jobs or careers- our hobbies, our mates, our children, our finances, our status, and a whole host of people, things, and situations. I know that as guys we tend to find our identity in our job. It defines who we are. So when we lose our job it’s as though we’ve lost our identity. We don’t know who we are.

But what if we were to find our joy, and our identity, in Christ? What if, in spite of our circumstances, our source of joy was Christ? Would this change things in our lives? I think so. No, I know so. See, it wouldn’t matter what our mate did. We would have a never ending source of joy. I wouldn’t matter what happened in the office, our joy would remain with us. Our circumstances could change, but so what? Christ is our joy, not our circumstances.

I was really challenged by this thought this morning. Before my time with God I read an email from a pastor friend of mine who had been struggling about staying put and serving God in a small, heart-hardened church (my description) or moving on. He has decided to stay put and to serve God. While his soul aches for the people of his church and community he goes to bed at night with an incredible peace because he knows that he knows he is God’s. It’s where he finds his peace. Not in the people, their response to his messages, or his job as a pastor, but in Christ alone.

Then I read Psalms 40:1

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

That phrase “I waited patiently” can also be interpreted “I waited expectantly.” The thought hit me as I discovered its interpretation, “Do I wait expectantly for the Lord?” I dare say I don’t. I couldn’t get this question out of my mind this morning. I had also heard it Sunday night from, Dr. Doug Wilson, our new Minister to Senior Adults and Shut-Ins. Doug asked us this question - do we expect God to do great and might things? Are we preparing our hearts and lives for what He may do? Again, not me!

I finished my time with God I by wrapping up a chapter in Smalley’s book, Joy that Lasts. I was overwhelmed with emotion and conviction. Why? Because I don’t find my joy in Christ! I continue to search for it in other places - hanging out with guys, in my relationship with Cindy , teaching, and my finances. The problem is that each of these ought to be a passion or responsibility (speaking to finances), not a, or the, source of my joy. So when one doesn’t provide the anticipated joy I desire I freak out, get depressed, worry, and/or get frustrated.

I guess the greatest one for me is finances. I keep looking at the checkbook and the bills and I worry. Will the money be there? What will I do if it’s not? Should I go out and get another job? If so, where? And my joy is stolen from me. Well. . .it’s not really stolen. It’s more like given away. Why? Because I look to my finances as a source of joy, rather than Christ.

I have to admit, as a guy, waiting on the Lord, much less waiting expectantly, is tough for me to do. I don’t know about you, but I really struggle with this. This morning I was encouraged by pastors God brought to mind who, in spite of their circumstances, seem to have found the real source of joy. I was also convicted of where I connect to find my joy. I spent some time this morning meditating on where I do find my joy and in tearful confession that Christ hasn’t been my source of joy. I also have to admit, that this will take work for me. It will be a daily, if not moment-by-moment, effort for me to connect to the proper source of joy.

Where do you find joy? Do your circumstances affect your sense of joy? Is it your job, your wife, your children, your hobby, a sense of control, your friends, or some other source? If it’s anything other than Christ, I would recommend you take some time - now, today, this week - to think about it. If it’s anything other than Christ confess it to God, receive His forgiveness and daily plug into Christ’s everlasting source of joy!

Mike