Advent Week 3: Joy
Read Matthew 2: 1-15.
When the wise men looked to the star that guided them to their Savior, they rejoiced with exceeding joy!
“When God brings restoration to his people, there will be laughter and joy, and tears shall be turned into shouts of joy” (Psalms 126:5).
But truthfully, some days it feels like we have so much more than we can handle. Some days we anguish over the hardship, brokenness, and sin prevalent around us. Some days, there is no felt joy. But our theme for this third Sunday of Advent is one that can shift us out of these moods and into rejoicing, because we have a constant reason for joy no matter what is going on in our circumstances.
Christ was born. He lived a life we could not live, He died a death He did not deserve, and He did it for us to know him, to be reconciled to him. Because He took our place on the cross, we have a present marked by overwhelming love and grace; and we have a future marked by restoration and victory. Hallelujah!
And when Jesus returned to his rightful throne, the Lord sent a helper to guide us, comfort us, intercede for us, and strengthen us – He gave us his Holy Spirit. We aren’t doing this alone. Emmanuel means, ‘God with us’, and with us He is. So we can rejoice, we can persevere until that day when He returns and we receive our promised restoration.
You might be wondering – well how can I change my mood from sorrow to joy just like that? It doesn’t work that way? And I totally get you. So I want to share with you two important disciplines I turn to when my mood is drowning me:
- Reflection
- Gratitude
Reflection. To reflect on something means to actively remember something and think on it, dwell on it. It’s an important discipline in our walk of faith to reflect on the spoken truths and promises of God. Our salvation, our identity as a beloved daughter or son, our adoption into the family of God and the family of fellow believers. These are truths that can never be taken away from you when you are in Christ! It is good to remember what these promises really mean and to reflect on the real-world, everyday implications they have.
Gratitude. This is a big one for me, and it’s also an important nugget of wisdom and instruction we can find in scripture. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” To give thanks in all circumstances, this is the will of God for you! And sure, sometimes this is a hard one. But the simple practice of counting gifts, giving thanks for little miracles that you come across every day is a practice that will humble you and help you to exalt your Savior, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. It helps you keep joy in your heart when it’s not readily available in front of you. You don’t have to count just big things, but things that refresh your spirit and open your eyes to His grace – it’s all around you, you just have to be awake to it. I’ll share a journal I use for this at the bottom of this email!
If I’m being honest with you, it will be a fight to keep joy present in your heart and in your mind at all times. I’m sure this is no surprise to you. But every minute that you spend making Him room in your heart will be given back to you immeasurably more, because He loves to lavish us in good gifts–peace, love, hope, and joy.
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Reflect
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:5-6)
–> How can you practice looking forward to the future promised by your salvation, a future full of hope and all-encompassing joy?
–> How can you practice bringing that posture of joy into your day-to-day life?
Leave a comment below!