Advent Season Joy
During the Christmas season many of us can become so joyful and excited that we just begin to feel an emotional high with everything going on. We love the decorations, seeing family and friends, watching Christmas movies, opening presents, and just all the things associated with this time of year.
But then, the presents will eventually disappear from under the tree, the lights and the decorations will get taken down, our friends and family will travel back home, they’ll quit showing Christmas movies on Netflix, and we’ll be headed back to the grind of normal, daily life.
And hence, the Christmas post-time blues commence.
And while it is perfectly normal to miss family, friends, and all that comes with this season, we don’t have to wait until next year to experience joy again in our lives.
The angel in Luke 2:12 tells the shepherds…
“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
- Luke 2:12
Many people during this time thought the joy they would experience would be from the Messiah delivering them from the rule and reign of Rome. Living under the oppression of the Roman Empire, they longed to be free. They expected the Messiah to change their circumstances and when those were better, they would finally have joy in their lives.
This is what many of us think too. Better circumstances lead to more joy.
If I finally get married, achieve a certain goal, have a child, get that job promotion, or acquire my dream home, I will finally have real, lasting joy in my life. Things will be different when I get there.
Jesus knew that kind of joy would never last. Situations and circumstances are always changing. The joy we feel in one moment won’t always be there the next.
Jesus came to give us true joy. Joy that lasts. In John 15:11, Jesus says,
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
- John 15:11
First, notice whose joy it is. It’s Jesus’ joy! Jesus is true joy. He is the Source of joy. You cannot experience real joy outside of Jesus.
Second, notice where the joy will be. In you! You won’t have to search for it. You won’t have to look for it in the things this world has to offer. It will be in you.
Finally, notice the type of joy it is. It’s a complete joy! It’s a joy that fully satisfies. You will never be lacking in joy. When you arrive at better situations or circumstances, you will never have more joy in your life than you have in Jesus in this moment.
This is a kind of joy that is even there in suffering. The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 6 is writing about how he and his companions had been beaten, put in prison, faced angry mobs, gone without food, and he says in verse 10…
“Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:10
The joy that we receive in Jesus is one that breaks through the stronghold of pain and sorrow. In Christ, there is always a deep inner joy that we have in Him and His presence in our lives.
When we think about the Advent season and the birth of Christ, we are reminded that Jesus was born into this world to give His joy to us. To put His joy in us. To make our joy complete.
He accomplishes this by giving us Himself. He gave His life for us, so that He could put His life in us, and that in Him we would have true joy.
We don’t have to fear the “Post-Christmas Blues” or our ever-changing circumstances because we have the joy of Christ living in us, and He never changes.
As you focus on the birth of Christ during this week of the Advent season, think about the joy you have in Him. John the Baptist leaped for joy even in the womb in the presence of Jesus (Luke 1:44), and if you are in Christ, you are always in His presence. May you and I leap for joy as well!