Has the word ‘joy’ been interpreted wrongly in many Christian circles? Neh 8:10 declares ‘the joy of the Lord is your strength’. Romans 15:13 ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy ghost’.
The joy of the Lord strengthens me to endure the hardships in life as I believe that God is in control of my circumstances.
The biblical definition of ‘joy’ is the experience of the peace of God that is dependant on who Jesus is, and not who we are, or what is happening around us. It comes from the Holy Spirit, abiding in His presence, and trusting in hope in His word. Peace is not the absence of turmoil, I can have the peace of God in the midst of chaos.
So to summarise:- Let us be thankful for the God-given emotions of joy and peace, which carry us through the difficult circumstances of life, indicating God’s presence and control. It is well with my soul!
Hebrews 12:2 ‘Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross
