Joy That Holds In Any Weather
A gentle room lit by a dimmer turned up, a quiet picture of joy rising as we look to Jesus.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Philippians 4:4 calls us to rejoice in the Lord always. E. Stanley Jones reminds us that this joy is not a grin pasted over pain. It is joy in spite of. It rises from the gospel, where Jesus faced the darkest hill, then stepped out of the tomb. Christian joy does not deny suffering. It meets suffering with a deeper song.
I need that kind of joy. Too often I wait for better circumstances, then I will rejoice. Jones pushes kindly on that idea. He says the good news plants joy in a rough field. Joy begins with Jesus Himself, not with a cleared calendar. It is the Spirit’s work in ordinary people who know they are loved and joined to the Living One.
This joy is not noisy hype. It is a quiet strength that tones the heart the way a steady rhythm steadies a runner. It guards the mind. It loosens the grip of fear. It frees us to serve with a light step, even when the day is heavy. The world says life is suffering. The gospel says life is suffering, glory, and Easter is here.
So today I remember where the well is. In Christ there is joy. Outside of Him there is only the rise and fall of moods. I do not chase feelings. I look to Jesus. From that gaze, joy runs like a small river through the day.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I turn your attention to the Lord who is near. Rejoice in the Lord always. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. Do not be anxious, but in everything with thanksgiving make your requests known to God, and My peace will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
I anchor you in the risen Son. You have been crucified with Christ, and you live, yet not you, but Christ lives in you. You were buried with Him and raised with Him. Set your mind on things above where He is seated. In My presence there is fullness of joy. The kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I form endurance in trials. Count it all joy when you meet tests, because the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. You rejoice with joy inexpressible and filled with glory, as you love Him whom you have not seen. I give you the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.
I make your joy durable. No one will take your joy from you. I turn mourning into dancing. The God of hope fills you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by My power you abound in hope. Fix your eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross and now sits at the right hand of God. Abide in My love, and your joy will be full.
Scripture references: Philippians 4:4 to 7, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4 to 11, Colossians 3:1 to 4, Psalm 16:11, Romans 14:17, James 1:2 to 4, 1 Peter 1:8 to 9, Isaiah 61:3, John 16:22, Psalm 30:11, Romans 15:13, Hebrews 12:2, John 15:9 to 11.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a dimmer switch on a lamp. Slide it up a little, the whole room changes, not because the furniture moved, but because more light is present. Joy works like that. As I turn my attention toward Jesus, the Holy Spirit brightens the heart from within. The room is the same. The light is different.
Try this today. Before you open a hard message or start a tense task, pause for a few seconds and lift the inner dimmer toward the Lord with thanks. Say, Lord, I trust You to brighten Your joy in me and to work through me right now. Then answer with a calm tone, a clear mind, and an expectation that His life will show.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that in Jesus I have a joy that does not depend on the weather of the day. Thank You that I am joined to Your Son, and that Your Spirit fills me with righteousness, peace, and joy. I receive this day as a gift. I welcome opportunities to rejoice in the Lord, not in outcomes. Lord, I trust You to express Your steady joy through me in every conversation and choice.