The Joy That Lasts

We all have things we chase, believing they will bring us lasting happiness. We’re convinced the "perfect" thing is just around the corner, waiting to fulfill us.

Just the other day, I had a soda for the first time in months. The carbonation, the sugar, the flavor—it was a treat. But not long after, the sugar crash came.

It's a lot like that with other things we chase. We spend months researching the perfect car, only for the new car smell to fade after the first little ding. Or we save up for that ideal vacation, but as soon as we get back, the feeling of bliss is gone, and we’re back to the daily grind. Even that perfect tool you bought for one project sits in the basement, collecting dust. These are all temporary things that bring us moments of happiness, but that happiness is fragile. It comes and goes.

The question is, is this what God promises us? I believe He offers something far better: joy—a deep, unshakable reality that doesn't depend on our circumstances.

The Source of Godly Joy

To understand joy, we have to look at its source. In John 15:11, Jesus is speaking to His disciples right before His crucifixion. He’s not talking from a position of comfort or good fortune; he’s about to endure immense suffering. Yet, he says:

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Notice He doesn't say, “I want you to be happy.” He says, “I want My joy to be in you.” His joy was not in His circumstances; it was in His perfect relationship with the Father and in His ultimate obedience to God’s will.

This is the key distinction. Happiness is what we get when good things happen to us. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that comes from living in communion with Christ. Our joy is full when it’s connected to His joy. It’s a deep, abiding satisfaction that doesn’t fade when the weather changes or the vacation ends. It's a wellspring inside of us, not a sugar rush from the outside.

The Joy of Surrender

If we want to understand joy, we have to look at its ultimate example in Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 says:

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

It would be almost insulting to describe Jesus on the cross as “happy.” He was experiencing the deepest physical and spiritual agony. But His joy was not in the pain; the joy was in the purpose.

Think about the Garden of Gethsemane, right before His arrest. Jesus is in such agony that He sweats blood. He prays, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me," but He follows it with, "yet not my will, but yours be done." His joy was in that perfect surrender to the Father's will, even though it led to the cross.

His joy was in completing that plan and in the ultimate redemption of humanity that His sacrifice would bring. Even His last words on the cross reflect this perfect relationship and joy in surrender: "Into your hands, I commit my spirit." He was literally surrendering His life to the Father.

This is why confusing joy with happiness is so wrong—it diminishes what Jesus did. His joy was a profound, purposeful reality that existed in the midst of unimaginable suffering. True joy is found on the other side of surrender, not comfort.

Guarding Our Joy

So what does this mean for us, in our own lives, in the midst of our own struggles? If Jesus’ joy came from surrender and purpose, then our joy, too, must be rooted in something deeper than circumstances.

We need to be on guard, because joy can be stolen. Jesus taught a parable about a sower who scattered seed, and some of it fell among thorns. He explained what those thorns represented. In Mark 4:19, he says:

“but the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

This is what steals our joy. The "thorns"—the worries of life, the desire for wealth, the chase for perfect things—are the very things we talked about in the beginning. The perfect car, the beach vacation, the specialized tool... these are the things that choke the word of God and make it unfruitful in our lives. They're what distract us and pull us away from the joy that's rooted in Christ.

Let's stop chasing the temporary things that bring us brief happiness. Instead, let's pursue a deeper, more enduring joy that comes from abiding in Christ and surrendering to His will.

Reflection:

• Take a moment to reflect on your day. Have you been chasing something that only provides fleeting happiness?

• What is a "thorn" in your life that might be choking out your joy?

• Remember, true, lasting joy is found in living a life of surrender to a loving God.