“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.”
— C.S. Lewis
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:18
HOLDING JOY HOSTAGE
This past week I came across a short video from Chris Williamson.
I don’t know where he stands on his faith, if I had to guess I would bet that he is a curious atheist, but without knowing it he was preaching a biblical truth.
He was breaking down the fact that we exist with such a high threshold for joy and such a low threshold for irritation. That it takes so little for our fuse to be lit while it takes so much to seemingly fill our cups and overflow with joy.
He said:
“Taking pleasure in something tiny does not reveal the smallness of your life… it reveals the true riches. The amount of joy you can harvest from the smallest possible patch of soil is a measure of maturity not smallness.
What you are doing is taking your joy hostage until the ransom note of life offers you something sufficiently worth your joy. We let the tiniest inconveniences derail our mood. WIFI is loading slow, a small traffic jam, slow service at the local coffee shop.
Our threshold for irritation is comically low… but our threshold for joy is absurdly high. If a red light can make us snap… why can’t a great coffee feed our soul? How little of a thing could happen to make your day? “
It’s worth repeating again…we live in a culture where our threshold for irritation is absurdly low and our threshold for joy is insultingly high. One wrong text, a cold dinner, or a slightly delayed Amazon delivery can derail our entire attitude.
And yet, it takes a promotion, a perfect weekend, or the right string of circumstances to let ourselves feel even remotely joyful. We're stingy with joy and cheap with frustration.
When did it become this way?
OUR BRAINS ARE WIRED TO MISS IT
There’s a psychological reason for it, sure.
It’s called negativity bias. Our brains are hardwired to pay attention to what could go wrong, what might harm us, or what didn’t meet expectations. That wiring may have at one point helped us survive threats or potentially dangerous scenarios.
But it doesn’t help us live joyful lives today.
Now, it means we scroll social media looking for what’s wrong. We go to dinner looking for what’s missing. We show up to conversations waiting to be slighted. We spend our days unconsciously hunting for reasons to be wounded.
It’s a poor trade off for being awake enough to see the beauty. To feel the joy.
We stand on the edge of miraculous moments with arms folded, eyes rolled, and hearts half-shut.
Why?
Because somewhere along the way we were discipled to believe that wonder is childish and contentment is weakness.
But what if we were wrong?
JOY DOESN'T MAKE YOU SMALL
There’s a reason joy is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5.
It’s not an extra emotion for sunny days. It’s evidence of God’s Spirit within you. We’ve treated it like a luxury item. As if it’s something to be enjoyed only when all the variables align.
But the reality is, joy is a discipline. A decision. A posture. A promise.
It’s not the byproduct of perfect circumstances, it’s the byproduct of a faithful perspective.
You are a child of the Most High King. Bought with the blood of a Savior. Promised eternity. Given grace for today and hope for tomorrow. Joy should be leaking out of your life in all areas.
The truth is…we don’t need more reasons for joy. We need eyes to see it again.
I’d challenge you to look at the gospel accounts and find a time where Jesus rolled His eyes at simple joys.
He told stories about mustard seeds. He multiplied small lunches. He received children with delight. He laughed at wedding feasts. He wept with friends. He restored broken men one encounter at a time. And for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.
If joy was the fuel of His endurance then It better be the fruit of our lives.
If we can be undone by a 5-second inconvenience then why can’t we be revived by a brief moment of beauty?
A NEW THRESHOLD
What if joy wasn’t something you had to chase, but something you had to notice? What if you allowed yourself to let the small things make your day?
A slow morning with the kids.
A hot coffee when it’s cold outside.
A moment of silence in your car.
A hug that lingers longer than usual.
A verse that hits differently than it ever has before.
None of these are meaningless. They are the brushstrokes of God’s kindness painting your ordinary life. You don’t need a highlight reel. You need a renewed heart.
A FINAL CHARGE
This week, lower your standard for what’s allowed to make your day.
Let joy leak in through the cracks. Joy isn’t childish. It’s childlike. And the kingdom of God belongs to those who can still see that. Don’t take your joy hostage. Don’t wait for some big enough ransom to let it loose.
You are free.
Live like it. Laugh like it. Notice the good. Let your heart smile.
Not everything needs to go right for you to be alright.
You are a son. You are a daughter.
And your Father delights in giving good gifts…even tiny ones.
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