Galatians 4:15 What then has become of your blessedness?
How would you feel if someone asked you that question? “What has become of your blessedness?” Or, “what happened to your joy?”
Paul asked the Galatians that question. The joy they had experienced when they first came to Jesus was slowly dying. Dying, because they had fallen back into old patterns of legalism. And nothing kills joy like feeling you have to cross every t and dot every i to be acceptable to God…. or anyone for that matter.
But it’s not just legalism that can steal our joy. For many of us, the weight of responsibility creeps in to overshadow the joys in life. Or financial issues, health problems, relationship struggles consume our thoughts.
Christianity is a joyful religion. CS Lewis writes that joy is the “serious business of heaven.” All the momentary joys we experience here on the earth are but inklings of what we will discover in eternity. God made us for those permanent pleasures, but limits their duration while on earth, lest they distract us. Lewis says, “Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”
Some of those “pleasant inns” for me include Penn State football games. Or “inns” like lattes and scones at my favorite café. Joys like giving my new granddaughter her first doll, walks in new fallen snow, reading a good book. Maybe your “inn” entails a trip to the beach, preparing a delicious meal or traveling somewhere new.
As enjoyable as these temporary pleasures may be, they are but “foretastes of glory divine.” God gives them to help us counter the inevitable disappointments, setbacks, and seasons of stress we encounter in fallen life. So joy (even though impermanent) protects us from giving in to the harder sides of life. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2). He calls us to imitate his mindset.
So I believe the question of what happened to your joy? stands as an indictment on losing our perspective on what really matters. Because when we feel joyful, we feel grateful. And gratitude takes our eyes off ourselves and on to God.
Friend, thank him always for those pleasant inns. And keep your eyes on the goal. Don’t let anything steal your joy.