Baking up some joy (Galatians 5:22-23)

As
a kid I remember singing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my
heart.  Where?  Down in my heart!  Where? 
Down in my heart!  I’ve got the
joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay.”

This song was sang in the context of a church Sunday school class.  We were taught that our joy came from Jesus
living in our hearts.  And it stuck with
me.

Fast
forward about 30 years and I hear this song on a television program designed for our young
children.  Great song but no
context.  What was supposed to bring them
joy?  Owning the toy being advertised during the commercial break? 
Eating a favorite food?  No Jesus.  No context beyond seeing kids in a music
video sing a song I wonder if they understand.

Then
I look at myself and wonder if I understand this entire “joy” thing.  Under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Paul
writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law”  (Galatians 5:22–23). 

This
“joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay” is not something I put there;
Jesus put it there.  By His Holy Spirit,
His joy (love, peace, forbearance…) is infused into my heart.  Do I live like that?

When
Ezra was reading and teaching the Law to the people in Nehemiah 8, the people became convicted because they had fallen so
far from God’s standard.   They realized
in those moments the holiness of God was so much greater than the helpless
hopelessness of humanity.  But Nehemiah
gives them incredible advice in verse 10,
“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet
drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is holy to our Lord.  Do no grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your
strength.” 

Not
the response we would expect, right?  The
Word of the Lord brings conviction but it doesn’t exist to punish us, it exists
to change us.  In changing us, the Lord
gives us His joy.  The reverse is also
true: if you want to rid yourself of joy, live your life your own way.

But
I will assume if you’re reading this you’re concerned with living in a way
honoring the Lord—just as the people in Ezra and Nehemiah’s hearing did that
day after Israel’s return from exile. 
For those seeking the Lord, His joy is our strength.  His joy is our fortress, shield, defense, and
protection.  This is why I can
confidently say a key component to joy is following the Lord’s ways.  Only in following His ways do we find
protection, guarding, and shielding.

The
joy the Lord gives us

The
joy the Lord takes away

And
Scripture calls joy part of the fruit of the Spirit.   Joy is the experience of gladness in your
soul.  It’s not as simple as an
emotion—joy is so much more.  Happiness
is not the same as joy.  Matter of fact,
happiness is to joy as tasting is to eating. 
Eating is consuming the nutrients your body needs.  Tasting is a sensation involving your mouth
and brain.  Likewise, joy brings
nutrients to your soul whereas happiness is strictly an emotion that comes and
goes.  As a mentor of mine would often
say, “Emotions are like gas: always changing position.”

This is an old recipe that’s been given by countless people to countless people but it
is a fantastic recipe for joy that’s worth baking in your life:

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Get
these in order in the mixing bowl of your life and this part of the fruit of
the spirit will find an expression in your heart.

Be
joyful!

Verse
1

You
are good You are good

When
there’s nothing good in me

You
are love You are love

On
display for all to see

You
are light You are light

When
the darkness closes in

You
are hope You are hope

You
have covered all my sin

Verse
2

You
are peace You are peace

When
my fear is crippling

You
are true You are true

Even
in my wandering

You
are joy You are joy

You’re
the reason that I sing

You
are life You are life

In
You death has lost its sting

Verse
3

You
are more You are more

Than
my words will ever say

You
are Lord You are Lord

All
creation will proclaim

You
are here You are here

In
Your presence I’m made whole

You
are God You are God

Of
all else I’m letting go

Chorus

(Oh)
I’m running to Your arms

I’m
running to Your arms

The
riches of Your love will always be enough

Nothing
compares to Your embrace

Light
of the world forever reign

“Forever
Reign”

Jason
Ingram | Reuben Morgan

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