One of the great hallmarks of being a Christian is that, unlike the world, we can experience continuous joy. Not only that but God expects us to manifest this joy all the time, for we read in (1 Thessalonians 5:16): “Rejoice always.” The question before us is why do so many Christians find living in this state of continuous joy so difficult to achieve. I believe that the answer can be found in two words: holiness and obedience.
Holiness
Jerry Bridges said it well: “God intends the Christian life to be a life of joy – not drudgery. The idea that holiness is associated with a dour disposition is a caricature of the worst sort. In fact, just the opposite is true. Only those who walk in holiness experience true joy.”1
When we are walking in holiness, we are in reality pleasing God and imitating how Jesus lived His entire life. And knowing that we are pleasing God and manifesting this crown virtue of Christianity should not only put a smile on your face but a deep-seated joy in your heart because we are lining up with the perfect will of God. My friends holiness and joy are really two sides of the same coin. And when you are living holy, or separated unto God, joy becomes the natural outflow of holiness.
Obedience
Again, Jerry Bridges, provides us with the connection between obedience and joy when he shared: “Jesus said, ‘If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete’ (Jn. 15:10-11). In this statement Jesus links obedience and joy in a cause and effect manner; that is, joy results from obedience. Only those who are obedient – who are pursuing holiness as a way of life – will know the joy that comes from God.”2
Notice how Jerry says that there is a cause and effect relationship between obedience and joy. While happiness depends on positive circumstances, joy can be experienced whether the circumstances are positive or negative since joy depends on obedience to the commandments of the Lord. As we obey God we get great joy, first, because we are pleasing the Lord, and what can be better than that. Second, because we are doing what is right in the sight of Jesus. Third, because as we obey God we will be playing a vital role in advancing the kingdom of God. And fourth, as we obey the Lord we glorify His name – which is the ultimate purpose of life!
Thus, living holy to the Lord means we will always be walking in obedience to His commandments, and as a wonderful byproduct, supreme joy will flood our souls.
One last point is that even when we are going through trials, pain, and suffering, the joy of the Lord, that we can experience, is critical to allowing us to work through these difficult circumstances and reign victorious in Christ. I love how Matthew Henry put it: “Holy joy will be oil to the wheels of our obedience.”3
1 Holiness-Results-Joy – Grace Quotes