The Joy of The Lord

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10

Walking back to my dorm room during one of the busiest days of my entire life, yesterday, I thought about the concept of “joy” according to God. Last Thursday, my friend Natalie and I went to a Bible Study known as “Focus.” We have gone several times and they give anyone who attends the opportunity to speak about how God has been working in their life. One girl got up and shared that she had been seeking “joy”—in her attitude and lifestyle. She had recently been reading “The Chronicles of Narnia" series and “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis had given her some great thoughts and answers in these books. She concluded that joy was not the state of “happiness,” but rather contentment and hope in Jesus Christ. I was confused. Could joy be synonymous to contentment rather than happiness? This question “brewed” in the back of my mind for a week until I finally understood what this girl had been trying to explain; but in fact, this new definition of joy could not be fully comprehended without truly experiencing the feeling. Yesterday I started to experience this comforting feeling that I recognized as the peace and joy of God. Although I had had one of the busiest and stressful days of my entire life, I felt an overwhelming serenity in my heart. Spiritually speaking, “joy” is not happiness, which lasts for a moment, but rather the peace of heart and mind through trust in The Lord, Jesus Christ. He does not promise “happiness,” but he does promise peace; a peace that only He can give. Let His “joy” set you free.