Articles
No One Can Rob You Of The Joy
Have you ever had something taken from you--stolen? Thinking back, how did it happen? Did you have any control over the fact that it was stolen? Thefts happen against the will of the rightful owner, right? If the owner had control, the theft wouldn’t occur. Oh, there’s the occasional mugging where someone gets overpowered; and sometimes we don’t keep things secure enough, which makes it much easier for the thief. But in most cases, stolen items are simply...stolen.
Usually the objects that are stolen are of value; and when taken, it brings the owner pain and loss, to some extent. What things in this life would have that effect on you? Maybe you think of precious heirlooms, or expensive technologies, like TV’s and computers. Perhaps you consider your vehicle, your wallet, or your cell phone. To what lengths do you go to protect these things? To what extent do you worry about whether your precious possessions will be swiped or not?
It’s probably safe to say that most people go to some length to protect their valuables, and to some extent worry about, and/or concern themselves with, the possibility of theft--because we don’t want to lose these things!
What about the non-physical, such as emotion? We don’t usually think of these being stolen, HOWEVER it’s surely safe to say that many times those who become unhappy blame it on someone else.
Although often defined differently than “happiness”--yet very similar--Jesus made his disciples an extraordinary promise regarding “joy.”
John 16:22--you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Did you see it? “No one will take your joy from you.”
Try to imagine having joy over something in this world that you could know FOR A FACT would NEVER be taken from you. That’s hard, isn’t it? You know why? Because it’s impossible. If you have joy in something that is in this world, there’s always the possibility of it being taken from you. But that’s not the way it works with the joy that comes from Jesus Christ. See, the joy He gives is different from the joy the world gives.
It’s the same as the peace that comes from Him is different from that of the world.
John 14:27--Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Why does He say not to be troubled or afraid? Because the gifts he gives are NOT TEMPORARY--they are ETERNAL. They can’t be taken away. No one can rob a Christian of joy, or peace, or grace, or any other spiritual blessing through Christ.
Now here’s the caveat… (not really, but perhaps a small “disclaimer.”) The Spirit tells us that Jesus said “no one will take your joy from you.” That’s absolutely true, of course. But we can lose our joy. WE can lose OUR joy. Or we could throw it away and forsake it.
See, although no one can rob us of the joy that comes through a life in Christ, we can CHOOSE to let go of it. There may even be times when it’s not so much a conscious decision, as it is a gradual “forgetting” of it. Maybe we drift further and further from God, therefore our joy becomes further and further away, until one day it’s just...gone. No one took it (remember, that’s impossible). We just let it go.
Qualities like joy, peace, and comfort are things that the world longs for--and to some extent think they have. But it seems to come and go, based on what’s happening in their lives. And when they don’t have it, they want it oh so badly.
Christians can ALWAYS have it. Do you? If not, why not? If not, don’t you want it? You can have it; and you can have it today. Follow Jesus the way He wants, and it’ll be yours.
