It's More than Happiness

The children’s joy, laughter, and song filled the fellowship hall at our church’s annual children’s Christmas teddy bear tea. As a talented musician played the guitar, the children angelically sang “Joy to the World”, while smiling from ear to ear. When the drama team entered, the children were captivated by the Wise Men as they laid the gifts at the feet of the baby Jesus.

Children’s expression of joy and laughter never fail to melt our hearts. There is something so pure and innocent about the joy of children.

And yet, sometimes joy is hard to capture. It’s more than happiness. It’s a deep abiding presence of contentment, peace, and pleasure. Our true joy can be found in Jesus!

In today’s scripture, the Bible states that Wise Men were overjoyed. Jesus is God’s greatest gift, and the nativity story is the most important story ever told. Because of Jesus Christ, we have the hope of heaven and the promise of peace as we journey through life here on earth. There is no better reason to be filled with joy.

Psalm 47:1 says, “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” We can experience this joy when we accept God’s love and grace, and then pour our hearts into him in response. Joy is meant to be a hallmark of the Christian life. When we focus on him as we worship and commune with him in prayer and in the fellowship with others, we too can experience the greatest joy of all!

Lord, thank you for the rich inheritance we have in Jesus Christ, and the joy that you give us as a gift. Teach me to experience the fullness of your joy. Help me to trust in you alone and to focus on your presence in my life, and to share your joy with others. Amen.

Go Deeper — Is your joy based more on an emotion or on fact? Through Christ we can experience a joy no circumstance can steal. One of our free online mentors would be happy to discuss this with you.

Read Further — Here is why the next candle of Advent is called The Candle of Joy.