An Invitation to Joy

We were designed in the image of a joyful God who invites us to stand in constant awe of Him and His goodness. God delighted in fashioning each of us and all of creation. In the beginning of Scripture we read, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed” (Gen. 1:31). And the psalmist teaches us that “in [God’s] presence is abundant joy; at [His] right hand are eternal pleasures” (Ps. 16:11).

But the more we encounter painful events, challenging circumstances, and broken relationships, we’re tempted to believe that hope is merely an avenue of disappointment and that it’s safer and maybe even more prudent to be suspicious of joy. Additionally, whether directly or indirectly, some of us have received the message that awe, celebration, and joy are a bit like dessert—nice to have but not essential to the Christian life. Perhaps we were even taught that it’s frivolous to practice celebration and that celebration does nothing to enrich our faith or deepen our relationship with Christ.

A Bible study on joy is not something I could have written even a few years ago. Frankly, the idea of celebrating terrified me. Like so many people I know who have experienced prolonged seasons of hurt and disappointment, I had become highly suspicious of joy, afraid to hold God’s good gifts for fear that they would be snatched away. I was sure that celebration always came with a catch, so I became practiced in praying for the miracle while preparing to mourn and dreaming while rehearsing disaster. I viewed joy as an experience for the lucky few instead of a practice that is available to all of us at any time.

But I came to understand that this perspective was costly. I realized that much of the loss I had experienced in my life was not only the grief and disappointment itself, but also the joy I overlooked because I was too afraid to embrace it. And I thought, No more! I don’t want to miss out on my vibrant, God-given life because I’m too busy preparing for the worst. And I don’t want you to miss out on knowing the fullness of God’s joy either, which is why I’m thrilled you’re joining me on this quest to find the courage to practice daring joy.

Throughout Scripture, God invites us to delight in Him, rejoice over His character and what He’s doing in our lives, and wait with eager anticipation for what He’ll do next. You may be surprised to learn that the theme of joy comes up more than two hundred times in the Bible. Joy is one characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22)—the Christlike characteristics that reveal we’re becoming more like Jesus. And it’s the mood of eternity, when God’s people will rejoice together and glorify Him forever (Rev. 19:7)!

Perhaps most importantly, God’s Word shows us time and again that the joy of the Lord has nothing to do with current events and circumstances and everything to do with who He is and who we are in Him.