December 13, 2009
“HAPPINESS AND JOY: A DIFFERENCE?”
The Apostle Paul was in prison, and he did not know if his trial would mean freedom or death. There was so much time to think, and all of the believers he had come to know and love within Christian congregations came to mind and were included in prayer. He picked up his quill and Paul began to write the very personal letter to the Christians in the city of Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.”
I pray I could do much the same thing in the midst of personal agony, personal tragedy. I’m sure Paul was angry that he was cooped up in a prison cell that kept him from proclaiming Christ. I’m sure Paul felt extremely lonely being separated from all those whom he loved. I’m sure Paul at least thought about the possibilities of execution, because he had no assurances that he would ever taste freedom again. When life has pressed down upon us from all possible angles, when pain is a constant companion, when our personal plight encompasses most of our thoughts, emotions, and even personal prayers, it is so easy to focus only inward. We can’t seem to help it; we just naturally go there. We may desire to think beyond our own needs and grief, but each glance outward makes a u-turn almost immediately until we are again sitting in that dark cave of pain. It may be tough, therefore, to pray for others with joy.
The Philippian congregation had its own issues. There were opponents beyond the congregation who desired to see the church fall apart and fail, and Paul was concerned that the congregation could divide because of it. There was also conflict within the congregation as two leaders of the church were at odds. Suddenly their interpersonal issue became a congregational issue, and again, division threatened to undermine the health and even future of that church.
There was so much to think about, to worry about, to what-if about. You know how that works. Of course you do.
And yet, something bordering on bizarre takes place in this letter to the Philippians. The calamities, the potential divisions, and Paul’s own future safety were not emphasized. Christ was the emphasis. Joy was proclaimed. Hope poured from Paul’s quill. This little letter is only four chapters long, and yet the word “rejoice,” or “joy” appear fourteen times. It is a letter filled with joy. What gives?
Knowing Paul’s situation, knowing the situation within the congregation keeps us from reacting negatively, almost defiantly when we read that word “joy” or “rejoice” so often. We are no longer able to retort, “easy for you to say! You haven’t had my day, or month, or year.”
Here is the key. Happiness is not the same as joy. The folks in
Joy is different. It is deeper. Amazingly, we can experience joy even when we do not feel happy. Joy has more to do with God. Paul begins our text today with these words, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” The key is that we can rejoice … in the Lord always, regardless of our external or internal circumstances, because the Lord does not change. God’s place and purpose in our lives are not dependent upon external forces within or beyond us. We may pursue happiness, but we cannot pursue joy. Joy is a gift. Joy is a result of relationship with Jesus Christ. Joy is a response to the immense love and presence of God. Joy looks beyond current situations and sees a future with God that is eternal. There are few words that can adequately describe joy. Joy is divine love that pours from human hearts, even when/if there is not much to be happy about. Happiness is temporal; joy is eternal. There may indeed be happiness in the midst of joy, but joy is not dependent upon happiness. One who feels and lives joy is one whose all-loving Lord is bigger, more encompassing than the problems and pains that plague us in this life. Even in prison, even when death may be Paul’s immediate future, Paul could still rejoice. And Paul believed that his brothers and sisters in the faith also had much to celebrate about, to rejoice in. No matter what, they are encouraged to rejoice … in the Lord … always.
Just in case, just in case we might imagine that Paul had written to the Philippians on an especially good day when he was feeling especially pious, let’s just take a moment and ask if joy was a theme in only this letter or if joy is a theme Paul lived. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians talked about how he was “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” … how he was “having nothing and yet possessing everything.” The writer of the Book of Acts was Luke the Gospel writer, and he recorded the event when Paul and Silas were in prison (Acts 16:25), and spent most of a night praying aloud and singing hymns with enough gusto that the other prisoners were able to listen. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 12, verses 12 and 13, Paul could write these words: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” Again in Romans (14:17) Paul wrote: “For the
It is only because of the gift of joy that comes through the focus of God’s love and presence that never changes that Paul could encourage the rest of our text. Only because of joy, which is deeper than happiness, could Paul write, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Only because of joy, probably in the midst of un-happiness, could Paul write: “Let your gentleness be known to everyone.” And it is only because of joy, that soulful response to the internal yet eternal presence of God that allows peace, peace of God in the midst of so many trials and tribulations and tragedies, peace in the midst of it all because eyes look beyond temporal circumstances into the eyes … of Jesus. It is a peace that goes way beyond anything we can humanly understand, and yet, in the midst of that tragedy, that longing, those threats…God’s peace guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. There is joy in that, is there not? There is joy in that!
So today, the third Sunday in the season of Advent, we light a pink candle instead of a blue candle. The pink candle symbolizes joy, the deep response of our realization of the presence of our Lord always, in all circumstances. The Lord is near.
Joy is difficult to put into words, but there are circumstances and events in my life where I know what I experienced went beyond happiness. There is a flooding of sorts, a flooding of love, of joy that fills me up. A partial list includes:
There are times I have experienced joy ….
- When it has hit me again, gone from head to heart, that I am a baptized child of God, and I am loved.
- When I think about being a husband, a father, and a grandfather, wonderful gifts and blessings all around.
- When I consider friendships with those who were once strangers and now are as close as biological family.
- When I think about the fact that I am a pastor. Sometimes I am absolutely amazed and humbled that God called me to serve in this way.
- When I ponder being your pastor, realizing and remembering twenty years of ups, downs, joys, sorrows, laughter, tears … and grace beyond measure.
- When I watch you discover gifts you never knew you had … and then use them.
- When I sometimes have taken a walk, or looked at the sky or the bay from the beach and felt overflowing wonder of being a part of God’s beautiful creation.
- When sometimes singing a hymn or reading words from Scripture, or watching someone shine after a period or a lifetime of suffering, I cry in gratitude.
- When I really stop and close my eyes and try to imagine …eternity.
God is near. There is always joy in that. God is near. Amen
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