Joy in God: Praise From the World

Joy to the world the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her king!

Sung worldwide, in 56 languages, this carol, has become the voice of Christmas for untold numbers of Christians. We learn much about our Savior and ourselves as we join in expressing our joy in God and think more personally about the lifelong effects of this joy.

The first verse continues,

Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

In the original version, the author, Isaac Watts, wrote that "saints and angels sing," and some renditions still use this. The total of saints and angels and heaven and nature involves a lot of joy. "Joy to the World" is widely recognized as the  "most published Christmas Carol of the 20th Century."

Happiness and Joy

During the festive season we hear a lot of "merry Christmas" and "happy Christmas" greetings and messages.  But "happiness to the world" is not the same as "joy." Many Christian authors, including those at Compassion.com, explain that happiness is temporary; it "will come and go depending on your circumstances." In contrast, 

Joy isn’t a simple emotion—it’s eternal and remains no matter what you go through . . .  An enduring attitude of the heart and spirit, and a natural part of the Christian faith. It’s often connected with, but not limited to, following Jesus and  pursuing a Christian life . . . We pursue happiness, but choose joy. 

Does this mean that we shouldn't do things that make us happy?  This is not what the comparison suggests. Life is varied and complex beyond any of the limited concepts we attempt to put on it. Decisions and adaptations are continually demanded. We need to distinguish between the emotions as we weigh and adapt options. 

For example, a Christian family may love a Saturday morning walk and/or eat-out together. It can be a lot of shared fun, with bonding value for all. This happiness is a blessing. In contrast, 
If the family plans their walk in a beautiful setting in nature and uses the opportunity to talk together about experiencing God's love as shown in His creations, this becomes an experience of joy.

Perhaps during a hard time for the family, they will remember the joy they felt together in that setting. Adult children remember such experiences of joy-filled sharing. Both of these excursions are valuable, and they are appropriate for different situations and needs.

Saints and Angels

The original words Isaac Watts wrote for  "Joy to the World"—"saints and angels"—is close to the meaning of "joyl" Though we choose joy, Christianity. com explains that " the Lord is the originator of true joy."

 As all of us know, trials, hardships, pain, and discouragements are part of mortality—they can also be part of joy. Those blessed to be aware of God's love for us and his presence with us in our lives also realize that God has reasons for the struggles, difficulties, and heartaches that we experience. When we are aware of the relationships and purposes He desires for us, Christian writers agree that we can experience a deep and lasting joy to be with us throughout our lives. 

Representatives at Christianity.com give this definition: "Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives." Another Christian site often consulted identifies joy as "an outpouring of the Holy Spirit."

Expressions of joy range from Handel's mass-heart-stopping Alleluia Chorus to the deepest personal expression of love and gratitude in solitude with God.

Finding Joy

Sometimes joy seems to come when we are not expecting it—joy in God from God as a gift that we suddenly feel. There are also many things that Christians are doing to prepare themselves for experiences of true joy.

Nurturing Awareness. A website devoted to joy, explains that the Greek root word for joy is charis, meaning "grace." Exploring this grace, Christians seek joy by pondering the gifts, blessings, and divine help that God, in HIs grace, has given them. The site suggests that when grief and mourning seem to overtake us, we can think of the psalmists: they told God exactly what they were feeling and why, and then they pleaded for His help. 

Preparing Hearts and Minds. Christians report going to the Bible to bring them toward joy.  Paul's epistles have been especially valuable as guides to them. 

Be careful [[filled with care] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phillipians: 4-6-7)

The next verse gives some specific ideas for placing and keeping their minds where they need to be. Those seeking to remain  in the Savior's peace and joy are to seek things that are honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous. or praiseworthy [only a little redundancy removed].

Looking Beyond Oneself.  Advice for finding joy from Stephanie Collier, representing health education at Harvard University, is to look at yourself as part of a greater, more significant whole.  Specifically she suggests, engaging in activities that serve others—volunteering for example.  She also mentions that when you consciously "connect with your spiritual side," you "join with something larger than [yourself]."  Applying this specifically to joy, we understand that Less important (happiness) things will reveal themselves as as less important as we consider the more extensive applications of what we can do.

Christians love to find joy in their relationships. They recommend participating in communities where they can be examples joyful attitudes and behavior as they at the same time extend themselves to help those who need them.

Living in Obedience. Obedience to God is a way of life—a way of life that can make joy our way of Christian living.  "The Lord’s commandments are given out of love and caring; they are intended for our joy  . . . They mark the way that we should act—and more importantly, they illuminate who we should become." Von G. Keetch . . . who was a Christian leader on an international level, gave us this perspective.  His final comment gives us words to remember: "conversion of the heart—that is all-important." 
Living in Gratitude. "Our loving Heavenly Father knows that choosing to develop a spirit of gratitude will bring us true joy." These words of Dieter Uchtdorf a worldwide Christian leader, author, and administrator from Germany, put gratitude and joy in their ideal spiritual relationship. 
As one known for his  metaphors, he contributed, "Those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace, and understanding." This lasting peaceful joy is what will stay with us and transform our lives.
This article began with a loud, triumphant hymn of joy.  It will now close with verses 3 and 4 of a soft, gentle one, by master hymnwriter Henry Van Dyke in 1907.

Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee
(also known as The Hymn of Joy)

Always giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Loving Father, Christ our Brother,
Let Your light upon us shine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.