Joy—and Birth of Christ

By Lynn S. Nored

Dec. 2023

According to the latest General Social Survey[i] of the U.S. only 25% of Americans consider themselves “very happy.” Some Christians are sad, depressed, or bitter about life and what’s happening in today’s  world.   From the erosion of traditional moral values, challenging economic times to a polarized nation, some Christians express unhappiness with their lives and events.   Consequently, many do not see or express  any joy in life.  Our Declaration of Independence states emphatically  we are entitled to “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  And in this season of the birth of Christ,  we sing “Joy to the World.” With the announcement of Christ’s birth, the angel said “ Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause joy for all people.” [ii]   So, why are so many people generally unhappy, angry, disillusioned no and even depressed?

First, there is  a confusion of the terms “happiness” and biblical joy.  Unhappiness is different from joy.  According to the research of Dr. King of Fuller Theological Institute “happiness can be a fleeting feeling that might accompany a slice of pizza and passes as soon as I digest it!”[iii]  Joy is a much more complex and deeper than an emotion. Rather,  “It is something one can practice, cultivate, or make a habit. Consequently, I suggest that joy is most fully understood as a virtue that involves our thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to what matters most in our lives. Thus, joy is an enduring, deep delight in what holds the most significance. ”ⁱⁱⁱ    Joy is also the second spiritual gifts mentioned in Gal. [iv]Biblical joy is mentioned 65 times in the New Testament.

If joy is a spiritual gift and is a virtue, how is joy acquired?  Virtues can be cultivated. The gifts of the Spirit are acquired by aligning your life and behaviors according to the Christ.  How does this comport with research?  Dr. King has found that those that experience joy are   “(1) growing in authenticity and living more into one’s strengths, (2) growing in depth of relationships and contributing to others, and (3) living more aligned with one’s ethical and spiritual ideals. ”ⁱⁱⁱ Paul tells that we all are endowed with spiritual gifts that we are to use for “works of service” to attain maturity for the glory of God. ⁱⁱⁱ    

What does this mean for those that are not  “happy” and seem to not experience joy in their lives?  Christians should understand the birth  of Christ was to bring joy to all people.  How is this possible?  Of course, we now understand the purpose of the coming of the Messiah was to redeem mankind—to bring forgiveness of sin, the promise of resurrection, and ultimately being in heaven with God.  This alone is a Christian’s occasion for expressing overwhelming joy. 

What then if joy is not experienced?  Dr. King guides us with some biblical reasons of this.

To express joy, you must live an authentic life.  To be authentic you must live a life “Conforming to fact (of a Christian )and therefore worthy of trust, reliance, or belief.”[v] One cannot be a Christian on Sunday morning and something else the rest of the weak.  You must identify your spiritual gifts and use them for service to others.  It is by using your strengths that will give you the most satisfaction and thus enable joy.  Christians are made to be in community.  47% in the U.S. say they don’t have 1 to 4 close friends and 8% say they have no friends at all.[vi]  Without friends, deep relationships are hardly possible.   Build great relationship by focusing on the right things. As you look at others  focus on “whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things.” [vii]  In our interactions with others,     we should be “completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” The following proverb is equally appliable as well:  “ A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. ” [viii]

Dr. Kings third point is one must be living “more aligned with one’s ethical and spiritual ideals.”  This is the same as living an authentic life.  As Christ did we must love righteousness and hate wickedness.  We must stand firm in the Lord.   We must add to our “ faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”[ix]

How are we to experience joy in the face of hardships, the evil in the world, and even the coming persecutions of Christians?  If you don’t experience joy in the face of these difficulties, perhaps you are focusing on the wrong thing.  Our focus should be on that which we base our hope and that which endures forever.   We are to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector our faith. For the joy set before Him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”[x]

The birth of Christ heralded to us and to the whole world the joy we experience through Jesus Christ.  How then, can our attitude be but one overwhelming joy that transends any momentary unhappiness we might experience?

[i] https://gssdataexplorer.norc.org/trends?category=Gender%20%26%20Marriage&measure=happy&Measure%20Category=Very%20happy&Breakdown%20Label=Total

[ii] Luke 2:10

[iii] What Is Joy and What Does It Say About Us? | Psychology Today

[iv] Gal. 5:22

[v] The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

[vi] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/10/12/what-does-friendship-look-like-in-america/

[vii] Phil. 4:8

[viii] Prov. 18:24

[ix] I Peter 5:5-8

[x] Heb. 22:2