“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King” (Psalm 98:4-6).

Today, as I am making the final edits to this edition of Chaplain’s Corner, it is overcast and drizzling, and it feels like we are in a fog. Everyone outside is hunched under hoods and umbrellas trying to stay dry. And inside, many seem to be in a funk. So, as I read the scripture above, I just cannot get excited; I struggle to feel the joy. I cannot think of joy in anything but a positive context. The word means “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness,” but today just does not feel like one of those days.

Biblical joy is this same feeling of great pleasure and happiness, but biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances; it is dependent on Jesus. Rick Warren defines spiritual joy as follows: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” If that is the case, then I can have joy regardless of the weather, regardless of my health, regardless of all the problems surrounding me. But how?

• When it is raining and gloomy outside, it is easy to get down and depressed, while a sunny day lifts our spirits. So how do we overcome this dark feeling we have when the weather is bad? We remind ourselves that it is God who controls the weather, and that one of his promises is anchored by a rainbow which can only be seen when the sun is shining through the rain. In fact, as my dad used to say, “The sun is always shining, even when we can’t see it right now for the clouds.” So, let us remind ourselves that the Son is always shining on us, and we can trade our gloomy thoughts for thankfulness and lead joyful lives that reflect the light of the Son.

• When we are dealing with sickness (ourselves or others), the pain and distress can easily overwhelm us. A poor prognosis can send us spiraling. On the other hand, excellent health and physical strength seem to buoy our spirits and make us feel invincible. But let us remember, this earthly life is fleeting whether it is 10 or 100 years long, and our eternal beings will one day be glorified to a perfected state that puts even the most stunning physical specimen to shame. Even when we are suffering in our current state, let us seek God for answers for how we can glorify him through our pain and sickness; let us not waste these opportunities to demonstrate God’s presence by joyfully thanking him for his eternal mercies and grace.
• When financial, family, work-related, or other problems come our way, as they most assuredly will, it is easy to feel defeated. But let us remember the promise of Jesus in the gospel of John, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Feelings can often be fickle. our feelings cannot be trusted by themselves. In fact, Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” However, biblical joy is more than a feeling. It is a commitment to trusting God in all circumstances. As Rick Warren says, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

Many times in the Bible, “joy” is used like a noun, as in “my joy,” and it is describing the deep happiness associated with the fulfilling of a covenant promise. For example:

• “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder” (Isaiah 9:3).
• “The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete” (John 3:29).

The secret to spiritual joy is dependency on Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all covenant promises.

My favorite Christmas carol is Joy to the World. It is one that we all know, so it is easy to sing it mindlessly. It is written by one of the greatest hymn-writers, Isaac Watts. When played in its full glory, my heart just wants to explode with joy as it expresses so well what the gospel message means.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love

In Christ,

Judy