There are some days where I feel like the world is conspiring to steal my joy.
A light turns on within the dashboard of my car. There are no words, just an icon, which I translate as "this is going to cost a lot of money to fix."
A call comes in from my kids' school. It's the dean; my kids started fighting each other in what almost became a brawl on the playground.
The search for a new team member at the office continues and while we wait, more and more work lands on my plate.
As the lights go out at night and my head hits the pillow, my anxiety wakes up and I struggle to fall asleep for the next few hours.
None of these events produce joy and if I had any before them, it sure seems like these events have eliminated it.
Is it unreasonable to think that joy is possible after all we’ve been through the last few years? And if joy is possible, isn’t it a pretty uncertain, fragile thing in the face of cascading disappointment and bad news?
As shocking as this answer might be, the answer is no. No, it’s not unreasonable. And no, joy is not uncertain, nor fragile.
Last summer, I was reading through the book of Nehemiah. I stumbled upon something I know I've read before, but that day it surprised me as if I had never read it before.
In Nehemiah 8, after the people have rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem, the prophet Ezra brings out the book of the law for a long, public day of reading. Verse 3 tells us that “He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand.” Verse 8 tells us about what the Levites did next. “They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.”
What happens next in Nehemiah 8 is what surprised me on that summer day. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites spoke to the people. "'Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.' For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law."
The people had been through so much. Their land had been destroyed by the invading Babylonians. Many of their people had been taken into exile. The temple was destroyed and the walls were broken down. The first groups of exiles had returned. A new foundation was laid for the temple. The walls had been rebuilt. And now, they’re hearing the Book of the Law read and they’re mourning and weeping because they realize how their ancestors lived in such a way that led their people through such pain and hardship.
But, it’s wild what the leaders say in response to this. “Don’t cry!” I know crying makes some people uncomfortable and some people were taught to never cry in public. But, this isn't shaming people for their emotions or telling them to suck it up.
Nehemiah said to the people, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Joy is strength?! I would have expected repentance is strength. Sadness over sin is strength, but joy? Isn’t joy fragile and fleeting? Isn’t joy a product of good circumstances?
According to Nehemiah, the response to God’s law and the source of their strength moving forward was going to come forth in an unexpected place - joy.
Contrary to public opinion, joy is not weakness and joy is not a product of the times in which you live. Margaret Feinberg, writer and Bible study teacher, authored a best-selling book on joy in the middle of fighting breast cancer. In Fight Back With Joy, she writes, “I am now convinced the writers of the Bible would say that, the reason we have joy is because we have great circumstances. If you are a child of God, you are drenched in the grace and mercy of God. Who has better circumstances than that?”
As the people of Israel heard the Scriptures, they wept and mourned because of their sin and that of their ancestors. But, Nehemiah called them to joyful rejoicing because of God’s grace and mercy extended to them. His joy was present even in their mourning and it was experienced in food, drinks, generosity, and community.
God is the source of joy and His joy comes to us every day in new mercies and a deepening understanding and experience of grace. That joy can strengthen and sustain us even when it feels like our days are one setback or piece of bad news after another. At the other end of the Bible, the Apostle Paul would write, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
In his song, “Just As Good," Chris Renzema invites us to consider the consistency of God’s strength, even when we feel like we have nothing left. He sings:
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If you’re grieving, mourning, weeping, or just ready to give up after a long and difficult season, I would encourage you today to do something crazy and counter-intuitive.
Throw a dinner party. Invite some people you love and trust to share an evening of “rich food” and “sweet drinks.” Be generous to those around you who don’t have anything. Seek out joy. Put your phones down. Tell stories, laugh together, and give thanks for the grace of God which holds you today.
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer who helps you laugh, challenges you to think, and invites you to grow. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He helps hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
