Where Is The Joy?

Last weekend I attended our family reunion .  It was a  wonderful time of fellowship, good food, laughter, picture taking, etc.  And, as always, so hard to say goodbye to those whom we will not see again until next year.   During the weekend as I visited with my loved ones and we shared pictures and stories of what was happening in our lives since we were last together, the emphasis was on the good times, happy events.  But I also knew that behind each smile there were memories of loss, disappointment, even tragedy. 

             And yet … the joy was there.

As I was thinking today about the difference between "joy" and "happiness" I began humming this little song from the late ‘60s .. "Happiness Is The Lord" by Ira Stanphil. The real nugget of truth is in the refrain... 

Real joy is mine, even when teardrops start.

I’ve found the secret, it’s Jesus in my heart!

(Ira Stanphil, 1968)

We’ve all cried tears of joy … at the birth of a baby, weddings, greeting loved ones after a prolonged absence.  But what about the tears we’ve shed in the face of tragedy, loss, disappointment, heartbreak?  Where is the joy in those moments? 
                                It’s there.

For those who do not have a relationship with the Lord, their happiness is derived from the circumstances they find themselves in at any given moment.  And they call it “joy.” But nothing can be compared to the deep, pure joy that only a personal relationship with God can give.  In Psalm 4, David finds himself in dire circumstances – His beloved son, Absalom, had led a rebellion against him, stolen his crown, and had driven David from the palace.  He was on the run and hiding in caves.  And yet, he penned …

You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, will make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:7-8)

Faced with the loss of his kingdom and, worse yet, betrayal by the son he loved more than life, David declared that his heart was filled with joy, then lay down to a peaceful sleep, secure in the knowledge that the Lord God, Himself, was watching over him.  Earlier in this Psalm, David wrote, “You have relieved me of my distress.”  The word “relieved” in that passage actually means “enlarged.”  David was acknowledging the growth of his relationship with the Lord in these times of distress. 

I have found that in some of my darkest moments, I have known the sweetness of His presence more than at any other times in my life.  It’s as if He is pulling me closer to Him, protecting me from the storm that is raging around me.  This is the pure, true joy that runs deep and still, even when “happiness” may be temporarily hidden from our view. 
                    
                                It’s there.