A Shield About Me: A Study on Christian Joy - Amy Lawrence

Suffering is a frequently introduced topic by those that argue God does not exist. It is presented as an infallible proof that no loving God would allow His creation to suffer. Although there is ample evidence that God does truly exist, I will not be using this article to present said evidence. (There are many literary works that do present the evidence of God’s existence, the main being of course scripture.) I want this article to present the reasons why we as Christians follow Christ, even through suffering.

I would first like to set a foundation. Any structure needs a strong foundation or it will not stand. The concrete we will be working with is the mind. The human mind is a frequent subject in scripture. It is the birthplace of decision that leads to action and is presented in scripture as a battlefield between good and evil, Rom. 7:23. It is the seat of emotions and the internal place where everything external is perceived. The health of the mind determines how that external is processed and what kind of person it produces. According to scripture, a healthy mind is capable of seeing things for what they are or aren’t, discerning properly between what is good and what is evil according to scripture, and matching their person to the pattern of good, Ecc. 2:26, Heb. 5:14. Here and only here is where joy can begin.

So…what is joy? ‘Joy’ is a noun, a thing. The verb of joy is ‘rejoice’ - the action that is produced from the thing. But how can joy be a thing? It has no mass, no structure, no weight. It is not constrained by time, space, or matter…but we’ve all seen it and felt it. I could define it using a massive Oxford English Dictionary, but that is the definition by the world’s standards. How does the Bible describe joy? For the Christian, joy is a fruit. One of nine, to be exact, Gal. 5:22. I call it the Spirit’s Fruit Basket. Anyone who eats these spiritual fruits on a daily basis can enjoy the nutritional value they offer; freedom from sin, Gal. 5:1. Here’s the thing, though…you can’t have just joy. There are eight other fruits. If you want joy, you must also have love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. These are all things that start in the brain and manifest themselves in behavior, giving us the tools to defeat the Devil. Not all are interested in defeating Satan, though. This same chapter also gives the alternate, or as I like to call it, the recipe for Satan’s Selfish Soup, Gal. 5:19-21. Warning: each spoonful decreases any chance of getting into the Kingdom of God, the place where joy is found, vs. 21.

Joy has many superpowers, but one in particular makes it incredibly appealing to every Christian. Read James 1:2-3 and Matt. 5:11-12. Yes, you read it correctly: joy IN suffering. No, we are not happy to be suffering, but joy is not the same as happiness. Biblical joy is a contentment that can endure anything - ANYTHING - because we know what’s on the other side, Ps. 30:5, Jn. 16:21-22. So many confuse Christian joy with happiness, but let me tell you the difference; happiness is not nearly as strong as joy, because joy is tempered. It is a steel that is made only by fire. It cannot be bent, it cannot be broken, because it is forged in persecution and rests on the promises of God and our fellowship with each other, Phil. 1:1-7. Joy is also not something that comes and goes. If you have it, true joy holds its position. It is often accompanied by other emotions, but such emotions are either driven away by joy or are amplified by joy. Why wouldn’t anyone want that?

A great number of people seek this joy. Unfortunately, only few find it…because the majority is either looking for it in all the wrong places or cannot bring themselves to do the things required in order to have this joy. They seek happiness in worldly selfish ambitions, but they find over time that everything gained in this world can and will be taken away, Ecc. 5:9-16. Christians find the joy that cannot be taken away, Jn. 16:22, by walking the difficult path and living a life pleasing to God. Now, the question is, why? Why did I call joy a shield? Why do Christians deny ourselves in this life the things that the world calls good but God calls evil? Why does the world see us as wasting this life by disallowing ourselves to indulge in things that they are sure will bring anyone pleasure? Why do we choose suffering now? Christians follow God. If God says it is good for us or bad for us, we believe Him. We have been educated by God. In this, we know there are two paths and know what is at the end of both paths. One leads to an eternal life of nothing but good things, the other leads to an eternity of nothing but suffering. One is constructed by God, the other by Satan, Mt. 7:13-14. We choose suffering now because we know that we are on the right path and it leads to a place where suffering ends, Heb. 11:24-26. It’s a “no-brainer”, but I have had countless conversations with various people, even some of my own family and friends, about WHY. They hold on so tightly to this life that they can’t see the importance of preparing for the next life, Mt. 25:1-13. I’ve tried both paths. I have found the joy of which I speak, and it is a joy that I’ve never found in anything this world has to offer. I will not give it up. FOR ANYTHING. Have you ever had a joy this strong? I can say with certainty that if everything I love were taken from me right now, this very moment, I would have temporary sorrow but still eternal joy - a shield that protects everyone who stands behind it and knows its strength. It’s the joy worth sharing. I can’t share it with you if you don’t want it. It will not be forced upon you. Your mind has to make a decision, 1 Kings 18:21.

Does this mean I can’t invest in anything in this life? No! I invest in people! I want as many souls as I can reach to enjoy what I myself have found! I want them to start looking in the right places if they haven’t already. “How do you know what the right place is, Amy?” I’m standing in it, the place where I found it, along with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is the church, the ark of salvation, Acts 2:47. Invest in the church. It is the only investment that yields a joy that cannot be taken from you.