Modern Christianity: A Space of Joy

Previously, I focused on the difference between joy and happiness. These 2 words are often treated synonymously. It’s important as Christians to understand their differences and how their differences affect our walk with Christ and how we display our faith to the world. A central foundation to our faith is recognizing what joy is and the role it should play in our daily life. The world would have us believe that the only way to be happy is with material things and experiences. Our joy cannot be found in temporary worldly things, but in the eternal gifts of God. Happiness is an emotion, an impulsive reaction. Joy is a choice. We should be choosing joy daily, and the best way to choose joy is to create a space of joy. A mindset, a faith choice, that we won’t let emotions dictate our responses to the world. 

What does that mean? A Space of Joy? 

It might sound silly, but it’s a mind set, an intentional choice. I don’t mean space like a room or place – although I’m sure you could set up a space to encourage that choice. It's being a Christian that displays joy in their day to day life. You make a space of joy by how you interact with others. It starts with how you choose to view the world around you. It’s keeping your mind set on faith and modeling your life around what Jesus taught us while on earth.

You decide if the space you are in is joyful. What does it look like spiritually? Physically? Interpersonally?

Spiritually: Joy is praising God through the storms and celebrations. It’s silently praying for a miracle in the night when all seems lost. It’s giving God thanks when life is good and blessings are abundant. It’s willing to share your strength from Jesus with others. It’s staying steadfast in your faith, no matter the trials.

When trouble comes, consider it an opportunity for great joy – James 1:2 

Physically: It’s not faking your smiles or emotions when you are with others. It’s acknowledging that life is confusing and messy, but that it won’t change your faith. It’s not trying to make yourself look fine when you aren’t. It’s finding peace and strength when you face strife. 

Interpersonally: It’s keeping and speaking peace to others. It’s standing with your friends and family praying over them when there are troubles. It’s acknowledging your feelings, your emotions, your struggles – not for attention, not a “oh woe is me”, but to declare to the world this will not define me and will not shake my faith. It's this radical idea the world will never understand. It can mean choosing peace instead of revenge when people hurt you. We can model Jesus by choosing forgiveness, Jesus had the biggest reason to not forgive, but he did anyway.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Without God, the world is miserable and horrible. There is no peace, there is no joy, there is no hope. So, of course, the world is going to broadcast the bad stuff, they want to make you feel miserable. Greedy leaders and influences prey on our fears and insecurities, businesses can then claim they will sell you happiness, that they can solve your problems.  At the end of the day there is still the pain and the hurt. Stuff only brings temporary feelings.

What should it look like?

It should feel weird. It will probably feel uncomfortable. It could feel radical, awkward. It shouldn’t follow the cycle of misery and temporary fixes. It should be waking up each day, acknowledging the good and bad and choosing to not let the bad stop you from being faithful and kind. Creating a space of joy is something that to the world is crazy. That can feel uncomfortable at first and that discomfort can sneak back in when the world tries to tempt us to do other things for that same feeling but in an easier way. No matter where you fall, there is no easy, there is the freedom we have in Christ which will come with trials and temptation; or the commercial world selling us one solution after another, leaving us empty and hopeless at the end of the day.  

Choosing Joy: 4 Daily Habits that Build Eternal Hopefulness

Always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances – 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

• Reflect on Scriptures of Encouragement: Go back to promises of God daily, remind yourself that God is with you, He knows your pains and insecurities. Find joy knowing you are not alone in your struggles.

• Pray: Make building your relationship with your Heavenly Father a priority. Make time to thank God for who He is and the blessings in your life. Find the blessings, no matter how small, the bed you sleep in, the food you eat, your friends, your family. Find things to be thankful for and thank God for them. 

• Don’t Fake It: Don’t put on a mask of happiness, you are allowed to have emotions beside happiness, be real and be honest, sharing that life isn’t always good.

• Be Vulnerable: As an example to others, always placing the joy back on Jesus 

Sometimes the best thing you can do is get out what is on your heart. Write things down, take time to put your thoughts on paper. Then refocus on the good, make a list of gratitude, put reminders in place to help you put your focus back on faith

Philippians 4: 4-7 Tells us to choose joy in all circumstances! To bring your anxiety, your hurts, your fears before God with joy. Allow the peace of God to keep you steadfast in your faith. Bring everything to God, He gives us a peace that we can’t understand. We can take comfort in knowing that His faithfulness is a shield around us. 

What helps you create a space of joy? Do you have a scripture that helps you refocus on joy? Tell me in the comments!

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Ministry of Joy