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Feelings of Joy
March 25th, 2009 | 13 Comments 
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Christian joy must not be confused with excitement, stimulation or happiness. These are reactionary feelings triggered by various experiences, so the feelings change with circumstances. Happiness, for example, is derived from “happenings” and is directly tied to things that are happening.
But the strong emotional quality of Joy cannot be overlooked either. Joy is not a reactionary feeling, but it still belongs to the genre of emotions which include love feelings: both are emotions with value, because both are powerful character traits.
Joy and Love can produce experiential emotions like excitement, but not always. Joy is intangible, but its presence is evident in the emotional fuel of a victorious Christian life and thriving Christian communities. In the language of Love Ethics, Joy flows out of our Permanent Love Values, not from Present Love Feelings, so Joy is sustained from day to day, and this is important because Joy plays a foundational role in building a meaningful life, unlike reactionary emotions. A towering skyscraper is held together by a hidden substructure: the lattice of steel beams woven together by engineering brilliance.
Christian joy is engineered too, but through the supernatural brilliance of the Holy Spirit, and it’s complicated, like a scaffolding. It has diverse roles, effects, and sources, like this brief survey demonstrates, and it occupies a vital and pervasive role in God’s book:
Complicated roles: Joy is the fuel for motivation in both the believer’s personal life and in the Body of Christ. A joyless fellowship is certainly demoralized or divided. But joy is vital for the individual Christian too: a joyless Christian pursues destructive behaviors in order to get the emotional fuel to tackle life.
Joy’s diverse effects: joy produces exhilarating and spontaneous emotions like excitement, or more determined emotions like courage.
Joy’s varied sources: for younger Christians (and children), joy comes largely from discovery, newness and surprise. For older Christians (and parents), joy arises from a deepening godly (and mature) character.
The Glory of Joy
Joy is linguistically tied to Glory, which is another neglected concept for some Christians.
Glory means significance or importance. The President of the United States is an imposing person because he carries all the Glory of the United States wherever he goes: the wealth, population, resources and military which command respect. But the Glory of Jesus Christ is far more imposing because he carries all the power and authority of the universe.
Joy is the thrill of encountering great significance: or encountering great Glory such as God’s Glory. Since Christian Joy is rooted in God’s Glory, and since God loves us so much, Christian Joy becomes an unshakable, strong sense of courage, security, surprise, delight, and many other motivational emotions — the products of Joy.
One scholar summarized Joy well:
Predominant in the usage of this term is the focus on rejoicing over the redemptive deeds of God that come to fruition in the gospel in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. — Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts.
Some Select Verses
The following small sample of New Testament verses demonstrate how Joy is so very fulfilling because of its connection with the significance that comes from participating in God’s redemptive works:
Romans 14:17-19 (NASB) for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Romans 15:13 (NASB) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:32 (NASB) so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
2 Corinthians 1:24 (NASB) Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.
2 Corinthians 2:3 (NASB) This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.
2 Corinthians 7:4 (NASB) Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
2 Corinthians 7:13 (NASB) For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
2 Corinthians 8:2 (NASB) that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
Galatians 5:22 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Philippians 1:4 (NASB) always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Philippians 1:25 (NASB) Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
Philippians 2:2 (NASB) make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Philippians 2:1-18 (NASB) But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
Philippians 2:29-30 (NASB) Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.Philippians 4:1 (NASB) Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
Colossians 1:11-13 (NASB) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NASB) For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
1 Thessalonians 2:20 (NASB) For you are our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians 3:9 (NASB) For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,
Philemon 1:7 (NASB) For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Hebrews 12:2 (NASB) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 13:17 (NASB) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
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Filed under: Wineskins · Tags: glory, joy, love bank, plf, plv
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The last paragraph of this article is either incomplete or an unwanted addition. Something is off here.
As for joy, I was thinking a lot about it as I was preparing to teach on the feeding of the 5,000. What joy those disciples must have felt as they handed out the broken bread – never running short on bread. They partook in one of the most amazing events ever recorded in the NT next to the resurrection of JC. Then, they could surely begin to grasp the power and authority of Christ.
As for joy being a PLV – I agree for the most – but I also see, like in this miracle, where the PLF’s accompanied the PLV learning moment. It seems that though joy is a permanent love value – Present love feelings can sustain someone long enough so that they can learn the necessary love values – values that transform one’s very character.
Would you say that PLF’s help the immature Christian to learn the PLV of joy? Just an observation from the feeding of the 5000.
Thanks Lisa, I cleaned up the “orphaned” paragraph, and added a collection of verses which help explain the significance of Joy in the Christian life.
Yes, you are correct that Joy is different for a younger believer than for an older Christian. In the younger person’s life, it’s rooted more in the newness and Joy of discovery which accompanies Redemption. For the older believer, it’s the Joy of participating in Redemption. The difference is this: youthful Joy is more me-centered (I see the Redemption at work in my life), whereas mature Joy is more others-centered (I derive great Joy participating in God’s Redemption of the world around me).
But I don’t think Joy is a PLF, even though Present Love Feelings may accompany Joy, and I see you aren’t saying Joy is equivalent to PLF’s. What you are saying is that, for the young, they may need Present Love Feelings in order to eventually build the emotional framework of Permanent Love Values that sustains Present Love Feelings. On this point, I must agree.
If joy is mentioned so much in the bible, why doesn’t it get mentioned so much by Christians? It is a difficult concept for people like me who are accustomed to just going with the flow and doing what I’m "supposed" to do. But, I have noticed joy when I think about or see younger Christians I’ve helped lead or disciple. So, I agree with what you and Lisa are saying about Joy – and with the scriptures on this.
Well Joe, y’know why Joy isn’t often-mentioned? Because, I fear, older Christians simply aren’t getting plugged into the Joy that comes from winning, and especially winning those new, baby Christians. Instead, what I’ve heard often-taught, Joy is something that comes from the Worship Service and the singfest-thing. But I don’t think that’s joy as much as it is elation.
Real Joy from The Holy Spirit is a gift. Not contingent on any worship service, or winning a new convert to Christ. Even though sometimes those events are a byproduct of those events. Christ gave us this. David even after horrible sin , upon repentance asked psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation. 13 sinners will be converted to Thee.
But Tom, you need to consider this: “Jesus, who for the joy set before him despised the shame of the cross!” (Heb. 12); and then again, “Rejoice Always! And again I say, Rejoice!” So there is volitional free-will involved with this!
I think you’re right, Keith. I think about my life right now and all of my joy is coming from working with younger Christians or helping to reach out to non-believers.
Also – that Heb 12:2 is a kick-butt verse on joy. That one put the light bulb on over my head!
Hebrews 12:2 has been on my mind for days. It was the Father’s will to redeem mankind through the sacrifice of His son. Jesus was all about the Father’s plan of redemption. For Him it was joy to suffer and to die – because His Father wanted Him to do it.
The preceding chapter was all about the faith of those who suffered for the promise of redemption – we too can partake in the process of redemption.
So this joy that we as believers can partake in – abide in – this joy can be so elusive when we become encumbered by our curcimstances and by our sin. Hence the warning in verse 3:
Of late I have been struggling with this weariness of the heart – I too had become so discouraged. I had lost heart because in my sin – I believed that by my ability I could serve the Lord and love others. HA! This discipline is so painful. At times I forget that God only disciplines those that he loves.
So this joy – at times it is so evident and I press on for the fight seems so worth it. Then at others times I seem as Lot’s wife – looking back with fondness to a former way of being – of living.
So in verse 1, where the author says, let us run with perservance, I just wonder "how can this be?" when I can be so often hindered by sin – an absence of faith – or worn down by attempting in the flesh what can only be accomplished by the spirit.
The emphasis in Hebrews 12:1 is “RUN!” like in a race. This is what happens to athletes (I hear)–getting so focused on the race and the target, everything else practically disappears. So in verse 2, “let us fix our eyes on Jesus,” he’s saying the same thing: get there, go, go, go, win!
When racing, you don’t stop to lament missing a step or two. It really doesn’t do any good, it’s quite useless. So of course, just keep racing.
Then, when you’re passing up this one & that one, Joy starts dawning again and becomes a prevalent outlook. It really doesn’t matter if we fail (unless, of course, we don’t think we failed–and that means a whole world of hurt).
OOOH…it is like that, as I know from many years and thosands of miles run. I love Paul’s athletic analogies.
Running is horrible. Your whole body hurts, it is telling you that you can’t do it, etc. But, having a goal, or a fixed point to think about – like the joy of crossing the finish line with a great time – enables you to keep going, even to start running faster! You know that the pain and running is going to be temporary, and in the end will be dwarfed by the awesome feeling when you’re done!
In a Christian’s case, it’s even better than that – we can fix our eyes and minds onto eternity and God’s awesome promises and how great that will be! Now, that should make you run even faster.
Hey Keith,
Good article. I think I’ve found out the solution of how to experience joy. In your article you say that the young Christian experiences joy from discovery, newness, and surprise. So then that would mean, me, being a young christian, would need to basically learn more of God’s word, learn new things, and that would indeed fill me with joy. Am I right on that or am I missing the point?
I can definitely see where being a new christian you would need the excitement of Gods word to surprise you and bring joy through discovering the way the Lord really operates and learning about how amazing his true character really is.
Yet i have seen in my own christian walk that getting out of our comfort zone trusting the Lord and loving people you would not usually love brings joy. I recently visited The Xenos Blowout camp for 8th graders as a councilor. I spent two days there out of the four, and i wanted to stay for the rest of the days so bad because of how edifying the experience really was. The love i felt there from the little 8th graders was heart warming, and the way God allowed me to reach into their lives just by asking simple questions was astounding. Those kids opened up to me about things that i never knew, and the way they talked about how great God is, and how he is worked in their lives just brought tears to my eyes.
To see how God works in the lives of many just amazes me. To be apart of that and let God work through me to bring a sense of excitement about God into their lives just makes me feel awesome. I have seen throughout my walk with Christ that i have hit many roadblocks especially with going from one stimulating experience to the next feeding of off some good vibrations. It was only a temporary joy if that was even it. I never really was doing anything significant in peoples lives. It was just me taking from other Christians, but yes i was getting into Gods word hear and there, and building a little bit into some of my fellow brothers lives. In the end though i was just doing it for myself so that i could feel good and have a sense of happiness.
Now i see that real joy comes from serving others and getting the center off of self and into the lives of others. Showing true godly love, I mean God is the definition of love and we love because he first loved us. So why not Serve in Gods name, get out of my mind and into the mind of someone that wants to deepen their relationship with God. This Joy is something that wont just wont disappear like the emotions felt after a hot Friday night date, or moving my arms back and forth with a lighter in my hand to the live performance of FREE BIRD!
Joy is definitelly an interesting creature. Its funny that it doesn’t depend on circumstances or feelings. Its something far above that. It depends on your ability to rely on the Lord and trust Him to meet your needs.