Be-Cast Episode 9: BE JOYFUL

DISCLAIMER: We had some random technical issues with this week’s podcast, so the sound quality is a little wonky, and it’s hard to hear Sara for the most part. So we totally know it might be a harder episode to listen to. But instead of scrapping it altogether, we decided to go with it, because this concept of JOY is of vital importance for all of us as we kick off the most stressful wonderful time of the year. So tune in and we’ll take all the grace you want to throw our way. Thanks!

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THIS WEEK’S VERSES:

“Sing to Him a new song; play each the best way you can, and don’t be afraid to be bold with your joyful feelings.” (Psalm 33:3)

“A joy-filled heart is curative balm, but a broken spirit hurts all the way to the bone.” (Proverbs 17:22)

“I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12)

A MESSAGE FROM MONICA:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? The stockings getting hung by the chimney with care; the Elf on the Shelf returning from a long, cold year; the lists and lists of things to DO and places to GO and presents to BUY.

It’s awesome, really. But it can also be exhausting. And stressful. And sometime the joy of the season — the Person that the season is all about — that joy gets sucked right on out of the festivities. Or at least pushed to the back because good intentions aren’t as time-sensitive as getting the gifts ordered so they arrive in these mountains in enough time to wrap.

Ahem.

Today’s podcast is all about what it means to BE JOYFUL. And I’m ecstatic at the timing because friends, I need to reclaim some joy. In this busy season (crazier even when you work at a church because, you know, JESUS and all), I feeling the need to BE first fiercely, like breathing. It’s only December 2 but it’s going to suddenly be the 26th and I’ll be sitting in the aftermath of the whirlwind and wonder what the heck just happened?

We talked this week about the difference between having joy and being joyful. And what we uncovered biblically is just so awesome, y’all! Basically, joy itself is a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. But joyfulness in the Bible is something else entirely. Check out these Hebrew words for joyful, joyfulness, shout for joy, sing for joy, rejoice and joyful noise:

• Samach means to rejoice, be glad. It’s a word used for louder expressions of joy, as of those who make merry with wine, who utter merry cries

• Teruwah means alarm, signal, shout, blast of war or alarm or joy, war cry, battle cry, shout of joy

• Ranan means to overcome, cry out, shout for joy, rejoicing – not with an articulate voice

• Alats which is to jump for joy, exult, be joyful, rejoice, triumph

• Giyl means exceeding joy, gladness, greatly rejoice

• Patsach mans to break out in joyful sound, break forth into joy, make a loud noise

• Renanah is a shout for joy, joyful voice, singing, triumphing

There are more…really. But I think you get the idea.

Biblically, BEING JOYFUL is much more than our Americanized, diluted definition. We think joy is a feeling of great pleasure or happiness, when God says it’s an expression…feeling joy so greatly and deeply that you cannot help but explode with an outward action of joy!

When was the last time you felt so much joy that you broke out into an inarticulate battle cry or shout of joy?

Me either.

The coolest thing about being joyful is that is has nothing to do with our circumstances, situations or feelings. Joy is not something you muster up yourself — it’s not having peace despite it all or contentment. Those are uniquely their own definitions. Being joyful is truly just tapping into the joy that is already present in us.

• Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength
• Romans 14:17 says joy is made possible by the fruit of the spirit
• Galatians 5:23 says joy is a fruit of the spirit

So obviously, joy is the evidence of the spirit in our lives. We cannot manufacture it ourselves — it comes from God. It comes from the Holy Spirit.

What then does it mean to be joy-ful? The Holman Bible Dictionary says that Joy is a happy state that results from knowing and serving God. It goes on to say that Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It’s not something people can create by their own efforts – it’s in direct proportion to a believer’s walk with Jesus.

Friends — this is as much news to me as it is to you. I used to think that joy was something I had to find in my own strength — find and pull up from my toes and sort of plaster onto my face when life was hard.

But joy actually already exists because of Christ in us, and the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Joy is Jesus.

And when we focus on that? When we focus on Him as the joy instead of focusing on the situations or circumstances or peace or contentment?

That’s when all these things are added unto us as well.

So let’s reclaim our joy today, shall we?

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

1. Write it Out. In 1 John 1:3-4 (The Voice translation), John says, “Our family is united by our connection with the Father and His Son Jesus, the Anointed One; and we write all this because retelling this story fulfills our joy.” I think most of us need our joy fulfilled, you know? I think we have forgotten the joy that comes from knowing Jesus and walking with Him, and we need to retell our story. So grab a pencil and journal, and write out your joy. Write out what life was like the moment you met Him and submitted to Him, and the joy that followed you. Write it and remember it.

2. Shout, Shout, Let it All Out. This is going to sound c-r-a-z-y, I know, but just go with me here. So after you retell your story, add to it a list of things you are joyful about. Things that bring you true joy, make you exceeding glad.

Now is the fun part. Get alone with God somewhere there is no one around…maybe at the top of a mountain on a hike, or your backyard, or in your house in the closet where you know no one will see or hear you. And then, I want you to literally shout out loud with joy to God. Force yourself to emit a rejoicing, primal, inarticulate cry of joy to God.

Why? Because here’s what I think: I think we have all spent our entire lives tempering the expression of true joy because we feel foolish doing it, or live in fear that the other shoe will drop and that by not expressing true joy we will somehow soften the blow for disappointment or hurt later. And I’m calling bull-crap on that. Sorry to be so frank. But I truly believe our souls need a release of something hidden deep that has yearned to be expressed for so very long! Myself included. So commit to letting go of your tears for fears and shout, shout, let it all out, sister friend. LET. IT. OUT.

3. Make a Joyful Noise. Channel your inner child (like we did on the podcast) and sing some of the old children’s songs about joy! It’ll make you smile and warm your heart if nothing else. (Grin.)

DOWNLOADS:

Download this week’s printable!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

1. Need a prompt to help jumpstart your joyful feelings? Watch this.

2. This is a beautiful devotion by Ann Voskamp on finding joy through thankfulness.