Plugging The Leak In Your Joy Series

I believe the same kind of concept exists in Scripture: “God’s Joy will always bring happiness… but the pursuit of happiness will not always bring joy.”

Why would that be?

The word happiness actually derives from the English word “Happenstance” which means “something that HAPPENs because of a circumSTANCE”

Thus – what we think of as happiness is an emotion that is caused by our circumstances. Worldly happiness is almost always reliant upon some situation or event to make us feel good.

If something good happens… we’ll feel good

But if something bad happens… we won’t.

By contrast… God’s kind of Joy does not depend upon present situation. In fact, God’s joy often can exist despite our circumstances.

ILLUS: A person once asked his friend… “How are you doing?”

His friend was upset about something that had happened in his life and replied “Oh… all right – under the circumstances.”

To which the 1st man replied “what you are doing there? What are you doing UNDER your circumstance.”

God doesn’t want us to be UNDER our circumstances

God wants us to be OVERCOMERS

He wants us to give us the ability to have control of our lives

He wants to set us free from the chains and the shackles that life can impose on us.

Jesus said: “… if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

III. That’s why Scripture so often tells us to rejoice…even when it doesn’t make any sense

James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Peter tells the Christians of his day: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

What are these scriptures saying???

They’re saying – If the roof is leaking and you can’t get someone to fix it right away… MOVE YOUR CHAIR. Change your perspective. Take some control of your life – by rejoicing.

ILLUS: At the first church I served, I was visiting one of the ladies in the nursing home. She had had a stroke some time before and the entire left side of her body and face were immobile.

She was very difficult to visit with because when I would try to share news from the congregation she would cry. If I shared sad news, she cried.

If I shared good news, happy news, exciting news… she cried. Everything I shared with her brought about the same heart rending response. She couldn’t help it.

But one day, when I stepped into her room I found her writing letters with her good hand. She was writing letters of encouragement to the people back at the home church.

Here was a woman who was in a nursing home

A woman crippled by a stroke

A woman who’s only form of verbal communication seemed to be crying

And she refused to let that destroy the Joy of Christ that laid within her