Despite the Circumstances

I turned this paper in today for my composition class. I thought you might enjoy reading it, too. The assignment was to write a definition essay defining an abstract concept.


How cliché would it be if I wrote an essay defining joy? How utterly sappy and dull might an essay about joy turn out to be? It is a commonly known word, and I would venture to guess that most everyone is familiar with the concept. But, I have something new to say. A fresh perspective is being brought to the table. Why do we need a new description of joy? Well, quite frankly, most of our world has no idea what true joy is. We get it mixed up with happiness and fun and gladness and ordinary things such as those. We live in a messed-up world, and with this messed-up world comes a flawed definition of so many concepts. Society today completely fails at knowing what joy really is. Our main fault is this: We only find or feel joy when things are going well. This is not what joy is at all. Joy surpasses the circumstances. Despite widely accepted beliefs, joy is a state of being that is constant, freeing, and powerful -- never wavering as a result of a bad day.


I tried to think of some ways we use the word joy in everyday life. I searched my mind for little phrases we often throw out there that might include that word. I would use these as examples of what the world thinks joy is. But, I could not come up with any. We do not really use it that much. We know about it and think about it and assume we possess it. When it comes down to it, this simple word is not a common part of our everyday language. How often does one proclaim, “Oh, I feel joyous today,” or when asked how he is feeling, reply with, “I’m quite joyful -- and you?” Instead, one might say, “I am doing well,” or “I’m good.” or even “fine.” We do not use words like joyous or exuberant or splendid to describe ourselves. Perhaps this is because we never truly do feel joyous. Perhaps this three letter word is a lost concept to the human race. Perhaps joy does not genuinely exist at all.

There is an answer to all of these mind-wrenching thoughts. Joy does exist. But, it is rare. When I was storming my brain for examples of uses of the word, it was clear that the only place I really hear it spoken and talked about in my life is in the church and with the Body of Christ. Consider the popular song which exclaims, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” Also, a well-known scripture defines the Fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience…”

There are sermons given and Sunday school lessons taught on the concept of joy. It is flowing all throughout the church. Christians seek joy. They seek to understand it and learn about it and possess it. Maybe I sound a bit preachy. Maybe this is turning into a dull, sappy essay about joy. But, the thing is, this is what matters: True joy comes from Christ.

“Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.” --Robert Schuller

What more is there to say? I could speak of the reason for our joy. I could tell of Jesus’ death on the cross and his sacrifice for humanity. I could tell of his resurrection and of the jubilee that consumes those who give their lives to him. But, to describe these marvelous topics would take several more essays in themselves. So, I must stick to the topic of joy. We have joy because Christ loves us. We have joy because our lives have a purpose. We have joy because we are forgiven for our sins, made clean and new, given a second chance, and sent on a mission to further the Kingdom of God. Joy is not happiness. It is not gladness and fun. Joy is an ever-constant state of the heart. I have joy on the best of days and the worst of days. Joy is related to peace in that way. It consumes one’s being and sets him free from burdens and anxiety. A popsicle on a hot summer day makes me happy. A life full of meaning and the promise of eternity with Christ gives me joy.

As I said, the world has a skewed view of the concept of joy. It would seem that most of the world does not even acknowledge the word. It is often thrown out of the common vocabulary because it seems so hard and sometimes impossible to achieve. This is true, if one does not have Christ. It is impossible to have a life full of true, complete joy without the Lordship of Jesus Christ. One can be happy. He can be glad and his days can be going well. But, the true test of joy comes when the sun stops shining and everything starts falling apart. It is then that we can either wallow in our sufferings or claim our joy and overcome our circumstances. When taking a hard look at the world we live in, does it not seem as if we could all use a little more joy?