CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 880

“The Joy of the Lord”

…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

A swift river runs wide and deep. The surface of the water is often disturbed by objects falling or thrown into it and in winter it is frozen solid. The surface of the river is vulnerable to its environmental circumstances, yet through it all the deep water continues to flow powerfully undisturbed in relative peace.

In my prayer journal recently I wrote: ‘Lord, I want to be happy again.’ The Lord spoke to my heart at that moment that His joy is my strength. What is the difference between happiness and joy? Do I lack joy if I am not giddy with emotional exuberance all the time? Do you, like me, long for a happier time in your life?

Happiness is what psychologists describe as ‘subjective well-being’. It is seen as a combination of being satisfied with one’s life and having, on balance, more positive than negative emotions. Happiness is fleeting at best and circumstantial. Being subjective in nature, circumstances that may make one person happy do nothing for another and may even make them sad. Happiness is easily disturbed like the surface of the river described earlier.

Jesus instructs us through His Word that if we keep His commands and abide in His love we can have His joy to the fullest. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11)

The Greek word translated here as ‘joy’ is ‘chara’ which is remarkably similar to the Greek word ‘charis’ that deals with the favor and grace of God that comes by His Holy Spirit. In fact there are three Greek words that are cognates in that they share the same origin: Charis – God’s grace, Charo – Rejoice (joy because of God’s grace), and Chara – Joy (awareness and recognition of God’s grace).

The joy of the Lord is like the deep water of our metaphorical river. It remains undisturbed and powerful regardless of changing circumstances that disturb the surface water. I am sure that Jesus experienced happy and unhappy times in His life on earth. I am equally certain that in His agony in the garden of Gethsemane that He was not happy – yet I am sure that He knew the joy of the Lord which strengthened Him to walk the path that was before Him. It was there that He felt the weight of the world’s sin. Our weights and burdens pale in comparison. …let us also lay aside every weight…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross… (Hebrews 12:1-2)

May our prayer emphasis shift away from seeking surface happiness. May we seek instead the depth of His joy and to be strengthened by it. May we always recognize His grace and favor in all our circumstances.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)