Joy is a three-letter word that refers to an emotion evoked by well-being, good fortune, or success. It is a feeling, an emotion, or a name associated with happiness, well-being, and a positive outlook on life.
My name is Joy, a simple name, only three letters, and yet, it can at times feel like a heavy weight to carry.
As a name, Joy can feel challenging to live up to, the expectation that when you are called Joy, you are always “happy.”
Can I be honest with you? I don’t always feel like Joy. There are times, including recently, that I feel as if Joy has run off and left grief in its place. As a feeling or emotion, Joy can feel challenging to find amidst all of life’s demands and overwhelming circumstances.
The Hebrew word for Joy is “rin·nāh,” a cry of Joy and rejoicing, used in the context of celebration.
There are many days I do not feel like celebrating, many days when delight is nowhere to be found, and yet, as we approach the holiday season, I find myself pondering these words, celebration and delight. Words that feel awkward when the feeling of Joy is lacking.
Until I remind myself that there is a different kind of Joy, a Joy that is found regardless of feelings or circumstances.
Chara, a Greek word for Joy, means an inner gladness, a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites in us a cheerful heart.
In the New Testament, “chara” is used to describe a deep sense of Joy rooted in spiritual realities rather than external circumstances.
How can we have this kind of Joy?
A Joy that goes deeper than circumstances.
Let’s go back to one ordinary night, a long time ago, when a group of shepherds were out in the fields watching over their flocks. And an angel appeared to them, saying, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great Joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10
The good news of great Joy.
The Greek word used here is “charan,” which refers to Joy and gladness but is also a source of Joy.
In a world torn by war and natural disasters, full of everyday challenges, Joy (an emotion evoked by well-being, good fortune, or success) can be a feeling hard to find.
Yet, what if we recognized that our Joy is not based on circumstances but on a baby born in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord?
Unlike the shepherd in the field that night, we haven’t been given the privilege of a personal invitation from angels. And yet, this invitation extends to us today.
Peter reminds us that even “though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with Joy (Chara) that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)
As the season of Advent approaches, we are reminded that the word Joy is not dependent on circumstances, emotions, or feelings but comes from a more significant source: a savior, Christ the Lord.
Yes, I don’t always feel the emotion associated with my name; grief and sorrow at times take up too much space. Yet, when I understand Joy as an inexpressible, glory-filled outcome of my faith, it reminds me that my name is not about a feeling, and it never leaves me.
The good news is that I don’t need to feel the emotion of Joy to carry it well as a name. You do not need to feel like celebrating to have Joy. True Joy is not dependent on circumstances, emotions, or feelings, but comes from a more significant source: a Savior, Christ the Lord.
When we don’t feel the emotion Joy (“rin·nā”), may we still know the Joy (“chara”) that comes from a Savior born, a Joy complete, and share that Joy with the world.
Joy Marker
![As a task-oriented, get-things-done person, I can find transitions challenging. I know Spring is just around the corner. There have even been days when the weather feels more Spring than Winter making me eager to put away my heavy coat and winter sweaters in favor of spring-like attire. And yet, I am learning the value of sitting in transition, the dance between seasons. I am learning the gift of being fully present in the days of Winter that remain, while also preparing my heart and my home for the Spring that is to come.
As I am learning to live more in rhythm with nature's seasons, I have found myself drawn to books that incorporate seasons into their stories. Often, I pick up a book with seasonal themes I have long ago read and skip to the season we are preparing to welcome. What do I need to remember as I prepare for this coming season?
Recently, I pulled Seasons of the Soul by Michelle Derusha off my dusty shelf, and as I searched for the section on Spring, I landed on words I knew my heart needed to hear. A reminder that my inpatient soul needed, that perhaps your soul needs too.
“The productive, striving, achievement-oriented part of me had no patience for the early March pace of my soul’s rousing. I wanted to get going, put a plan in place, take action, tick goals off my checklist. [] But the soul awakens in much the same way that spring arrives on the Nebraska Prairie—slowly, gently stretching from its long winter's sleep.” Michelle Derusha
#randomreflection #changingseasons #preparingforspring #embracingwinter](https://randomreflection.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)