"Joy is a choice.”
My pastor said that one Sunday, and I liked it, so I typed it in my notes. Another favorite is:
“Joy is a pervasive, constant sense of well-being regardless of circumstance.”
That’s from Christian philosopher Dallas Willard. I like it, too.
My affinity for both is due to them both taking current circumstances out of the equation. True Godly joy is internal, not external. It is produced inwardly by the Spirit of God and then pours outwardly to all those around you.
I would like to tell you that when you have this joy you become irresistible to people and they always want to be around you. Sadly, that’s not always true. In this current cultural climate of fear and anxiety (which gives birth to vitriol and hatred), joy can be seen as, at best, naïve and, at worst, toxic. I think the phrase the TikTok kids are using is “toxic positivity.”
I believe it’s because joy is inextricably tied to hope.
People without hope, or who have hope in a culture or system that has failed them time and again, cannot fathom the reason someone else would have joy, so they tend to judge it harshly. Deep down, I think the subconscious human desire for joy, and the seeming inability to grasp the hope that is required for it, leaves people in a despair that presents as anger and resentment.
People haven’t just lost their sense of humor. They’ve lost their hope, which means there’s no reason for joy.
But not so with you and me, right? We have enough history with God to hope, right? He’s been faithful enough to us that we can declare, like the Apostle Paul:
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”
I think laughter should be a constant refrain in the kingdom. Don’t you? Yes, we’re living in a world that can have unspeakable pain and horror. But though we are in this world, we are not of this world. In fact, Jesus told us we would have major problems in this world. I’m so grateful, though, that He didn’t end it there. He finished by saying:
“…But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Now that’s Good News!
A few years ago I produced a musical about race relations in the church. I had done it several times before, but this time it was going to be live-streamed across the globe. I don’t know what made me think I could do something like that. To be sure, people were “live-streaming” pre-recorded events, but not an event that was happening at that very moment. It was a huge risk. It was also an enormous expense. I didn’t realize that last part until I was up to my eyeballs in expenses.
My production manager, who has worked with me for well over a decade, knew the dire straits. I honestly think she was waiting for me to crack. She had the metaphorical broom and dustpan ready to sweep up the vestiges of my self-esteem after my inevitable mental breakdown.
But I didn’t break down. In fact, rehearsals, production meetings, and staff one-on-ones were all joyful.
She didn’t understand how or why. Neither did I, honestly, until she finally couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Um… ma’am…” she started our almost daily Zoom call off. We’re the same age, so the “ma’am” meant confrontation was afoot. I was smiling from ear to ear when the Zoom camera initially came on. I’m sure that was the catalyst.
“Did you see these invoices…?” she continued, undaunted by my smile.
“Sis, they come in my name,” I quipped back, my smile going to half but still somewhat present.
“So why are you grinning…?” she asked with true concern. I burst out laughing, which didn’t help matters.
“Ma’am, this is 20,000 dollars,” she said, papers in hand.
“Yeah, I know,” I said, my smile now gone and a sinking pit in my stomach. And I think that last part is important. Joy is not pretending like what’s happening isn’t really what’s happening. It IS happening. That’s what makes joy a choice.
“I just don’t know God to fail. I don’t know Him that way.” We both stared at each other in the tiny Zoom cameras. “If God ain’t got 20 grand in His holy pocket,” I continued, “we got bigger problems than this here play.”
We both laughed. And laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. Then we continued on with the meeting.
It was a moment of clarity for both of us, honestly. I chose joy not because of me. I chose joy because of Him. He hasn’t failed me. So even with 20 grand in debt staring my $2.37 bank account in the face, I had a strange sense of well-being, and I refused to talk myself out of it. (Btw, approximately $23,100 proceeded to roll in over the next few days. It was all a blur, and I don’t even remember how. Just God doing God stuff, I suppose.)
Like the other fruit of the Spirit, joy grows in us naturally the more we abide in Him. Why? Because we become more and more intimately aware of His nature and His ways. We know His character. Not only that, His nature, character, and ways begin to develop in us, turning us into different kinds of people. So I’m not trying to drum up some joy. I’m becoming the type of person whose emotions are not dictated by circumstances.
WARNING: This joy will sometimes make you look or feel delusional.
That’s ok. It’s the joy of the Lord, and the Bible says the direct result of it is strength.
As I mentioned before, when this kind of Holy Spirit-generated joy manifests, you may be accused of “toxic positivity.” Maybe you read that above story about my play, rolled your eyes, and accused me of that very thing.
That’s ok, too. Because, and I speak from experience, though folks may accuse you by day, at night, like Nicodemus sneaking for an audience with Jesus, they too will sneak away to ask you the central question of it all:
“Why do you have hope?”
And that’s when you get to offer their hungry, thirsty souls the fruit of JOY.
Lastly, when researching for this, I found a case for laughter, versus just a smile, from G.K. Chesterton’s essay “Laughter.” I love it:
The smile can easily turn into a sneer, while it’s hard to have a true laugh, as opposed to a cackle, with malicious intent.
The smile is individual and often secretive, whereas the laugh is social and contagious.
Laughing is innocent and unguarded and comes closer to true humility, as it makes itself vulnerable.
So why not have a good laugh today? Laugh like you serve the Alpha and the Omega. If I trust God started it and He’s going to finish it, the middle would ultimately be kind of funny, right?
Next up, PEACE. Spoiler alert: In this culture, it will make you seem just as delusional as joy.
And I love that.
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