The Spiritual Fruit of Joy – Galatians 5:22
By Dan Tsouloufis
What does it mean to have Christian joy? Or to put it another way, what does it mean to have joy in the Lord?
At some point in our lives, we come to a simple but profound realization that everything this world has to offer: success, achievement, possessions, even legacy, loses its meaning when God isn’t at the center. Moreover, we find that worldly happiness is temporary; earthly joy is fleeting.
Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven, where “we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). On a more somber note, Paul laments that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:22-23).
When it comes to the subject of joy, the standard narrative we usually hear about Christian joy is that it is not based on our circumstances. While this is undoubtedly true, it doesn’t capture the essence of true joy.
One Bible commentator defines joy as “a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ (John 15:11). It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things (Rom. 8:28).”
The Old Testament psalms express the joyous mood of believers as they encounter God. Believers rejoice because God has surrounded them with His steadfast love (32:10-11) and brought them to salvation (40:16; 64:10). David rejoices that God has delivered him from the hand of his enemies (21:1; 63:11). Joy is also a response to God’s word (19:8; 119:14, 111) as well as God’s reward to believers (58:10-11). Nehemiah, who longed for the restoration of Jerusalem, said that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10).
In Psalm 16:11, David says to the Lord, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” See also Acts 2:28.
Joy in the Lord’s presence? Eternal pleasures at the Lord’s right hand? How is this possible in this life? Is it even possible? If so, how can Christians believe this, let alone experience this?
First, let’s try to get to the heart of the matter for why joy often eludes us.
For starters, what we worry about reveals what our hearts love. God wants to rule in our hearts, for our good and His glory. Secondly, learning to think differently about our struggles, with God’s purposes in view, has a major impact on our thinking, especially our anxious thinking.
As such, one way we can seek to overcome our fear and anxiety is by learning to take our thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5) and replace unbiblical thoughts with biblical truth. This is what Paul means by being transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2). But this requires a heart change that only the Holy Spirit can do, as we learn to trust and rely on God’s Word. Moreover, our faith should be characterized by trusting in God’s Word and acting upon it no matter how we feel, knowing that God promises a good result according to His plans and purposes.
As Christians, we need to be reminded of the resources in our faith to help us deal with the anxieties of life. Paul Tripp describes the spiritual battle this way:
“Defeating worry is not about hoping that tomorrow will be better. No, defeating worry is about being a good soldier in this deeper war for the heart. It is about fighting the temptation to attach the peace of your heart to things that, by their very nature are temporary and, therefore, are not organically designed to give you lasting peace (see Matt. 6:19). It is about daily feeding your soul on the promises and provisions of your heavenly Father. It is about taking special care before you name something a need. And it is about living for something bigger than you. It is about giving the love and concern of your heart to the King and His kingdom and fighting the instinct to construct a Lilliputian kingdom of your own. The kingdom of self will never give you rest, because it does not have the capacity to satisfy the cravings of your heart.”
In light of Tripp’s insightful comments, we can assert that anxiety is an opportunity for us to worship and trust God despite our fears. As such, there are three helpful questions we can contemplate in the midst of our anxiety:
1) How does God want me to view my current circumstance in light of Scripture? In other words, what perspective does God want me to have?
2) What might God be trying to teach me through my fear and anxiety?
3) How might God use my fear and anxiety to comfort and serve others in a way that would glorify Him? As was stated earlier, God wants to rule in our hearts, for our good and His glory.
Perhaps we can seek to be less self-focused and more God-focused, even in the midst of our anxiety. Scripture says we are to count it all joy when we meet various trials (Jas. 1:2). We know that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance leads to hope. This is why we are to glory in tribulation (Rom. 5:3). In addition, we are to grow in character, diligence, and patience (2 Pet. 1:5-8). We do this in the face of trials and temptations, facing them with clarity and boldness. God wants us to trust Him and not be a slave to fear (Rom. 8:15). The apostle Peter gives believers this encouragement: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6-7).
As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:25-27).
Next, in addition to fear and anxiety, I’d like to discuss four other common hindrances to experiencing joy in the Christian life.
One common hindrance to joy is legalism, or some form of it. Sometimes, even well-meaning Christians find themselves struggling to “keep the law” rather than living by grace. In response, we need to help these strugglers see from Scripture that despite the reality that we retain our sinful nature even as believers (Rom. 7:14-24), we can still enjoy freedom in Christ as well as have assurance of our salvation in Christ.
In other words, Christians sometimes struggle to have peace, freedom, and joy, because they have legalistic thinking. We need to understand that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal. 5:1). Therefore, we can live as free people.
This of course does not mean we can presume upon God’s grace (Rom. 6:1, 15; Gal. 5:13). Nonetheless, Paul says: “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Eph. 3:12). As the author of Hebrews states: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
A second common hindrance to joy is perfectionism, or some form of it. Many Christians struggle with perfectionism in their faith. Unfortunately, perfectionism can take the form of robbing us of our peace, freedom, and joy in Christ. Oftentimes, we compound the problem by worrying too much, as well as doubting God’s goodness and God’s promises in His Word. When we find ourselves in this mindset, we may feel that our faith is too small or too weak. We need to be reminded that it is not the strength of our faith that matters, but the strength of the Savior whom we placed our faith in.
There is a danger of being overly self-critical, as well as adhering to a false standard of our own making. We should not let the devil get a foothold here. The gospel of Christ gives us real freedom (Rom. 5:1-2; Rom. 8:1-2; Rom. 15:13; Gal. 5:1; Eph. 3:12; 2 Cor. 3:17). It does not give us a spirit of fear (Rom. 8:15; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 John 4:17-18). Moreover, the apostle Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything (Phil. 4:6). Yet it’s tempting for Christians to worry about many things, including even the assurance of their salvation.
Additionally, I think it’s important that Christians are characterized by humility regarding their own righteousness, and confidence and joy regarding Christ’s righteousness. For example, when we’re seeking to be a witness to unbelievers, what do we want them to be drawn to? Do we want them to be drawn to us because we think we’re a morally righteous and upstanding person? Instead, wouldn’t it be better if unbelievers are drawn to us because of our confidence and joy in Christ? Wouldn’t it be better if we’re able to express our own failures and weaknesses yet also express our hope and freedom in Christ? Isn’t that the heart of the gospel?
Some perfectionists, with good intentions, focus more on Jesus’ radical teachings about denying themself and carrying the cross, than on passages that convey our freedom in Christ. In response, we should encourage them that they need to maintain a balance, based on the whole counsel of Scripture. We don’t want to drift too far one way and become legalistic in our thinking (thereby choking out grace), nor do we want to drift too far the other way and become antinomian in our thinking (thereby disregarding God’s command to be holy).
We can, and should, walk in true freedom in Christ (based on His righteousness, not our own), while at the same time pursue holiness as we grow in sanctification. Perfectionists need to let this concept sink in, otherwise they end up unwittingly practicing a works-based righteousness, which doesn’t draw them any closer to Christ, nor does it give them peace and freedom in Christ.
A third common hindrance to joy is our daily spiritual battle with the devil. As such, it is important to recognize the constant spiritual battle we are in (2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:11-12; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8). The devil wants Christians to remain self-critical and to focus on their own works instead of resting in the finished work of Christ on the cross. This is a spiritual discipline of mind renewal that all Christians must seek to cultivate, with the help of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:2; Rom. 15:13; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:2; 2 Cor. 10:5).
In addition, we need to be reminded that Christ’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Christ tells us that He is “gentle and humble in heart…for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:29-30). The apostle Peter tells us to “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
A fourth common hindrance to joy is not regularly grounding our identity in Christ. This is important, since how people view themselves and how they seek to establish their identity is one of the fundamental aspects of being a human being. Thus, who we are, where we came from, and what we value helps to determine our identity. In addition, how we are viewed by our immediate community, as well as our surrounding culture, can have an influence on our identity.
As a Christian, my faith is the foundation of who I am – it is my identity. Thus, when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and became a Christian, who I am and how I see the world – and how I view my place in the world – fundamentally changed forever. Henceforth, before I am anything else (a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a friend, a Baptist, a deacon, etc.), I am a child of God (Gal. 4:7). Therefore, my identity in Christ is now rooted in my relationship with God. In addition to being a child of God, I am an heir of God (Rom. 8:17); I have been adopted into God’s kingdom (Eph. 1:5); I am a fellow citizen of God’s people (Eph. 2:19); and my ultimate citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). This is now who I am. This is my identity above all my other identities.
Before I conclude this brief lecture, here’s an illustration that may be helpful for Christians who are seeking to understand why they’re finding it difficult to experience joy in their life.
If someone is struggling to have peace, freedom, and joy in Christ, it will affect so many other areas of their spiritual life. For example, if you discover that your house has a leaky roof, the water will trickle down and it will eventually damage the drywall as the water flows downward. Thus, it won’t do any good to only replace the damaged drywall; you must also fix the leaky roof. Likewise, if you are not walking in peace, freedom, and joy in Christ, it would be wise to seek to understand why, and get to the root of the matter, since it will affect other areas of your spiritual life.
This is why we need to encourage strugglers to have a self-image based on their identity in Christ, rather than an image of their own making, or an image based on how others perceive them. Moreover, it is never healthy or productive to compare ourselves to others, since this can lead to pride (I am better than others), or it can lead to self-loathing (I am less than others). Neither of these scenarios align with God’s view of us, nor do they align with a biblical view of grace and sanctification.
Lastly, it is important that we place our trust in God’s promises in His Word, not our feelings. Our feelings are important, but we don’t want to be ruled by them. Moreover, we need to recognize that God’s truth and promises need to be meditated on and cultivated in order for them to have any power in our life. This is why it’s important to have God’s Word hidden in our heart (Ps. 119:11), otherwise our feelings and our doubts can easily supersede the promises that God gives us in His Word. Thus, we need to continually place our trust in God’s promises, not our feelings. This is our only safeguard against the lies of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
God’s promises are certain, whereas other people may let us down, and our own heart may deceive us (Jer. 17:9). Moreover, God’s character is trustworthy (John 8:26) and immutable (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8).
Also, it is important that we place our trust in God’s sovereign control, not our own control, which can make us anxious and fearful, because we’re often trying to control things that are outside of our control. Our goal should be to trust the Lord and be motivated by our faith in God’s Word, His promises, and His faithfulness. That is where true peace and freedom ultimately derive.
To conclude, I will close with some encouraging passages from Scripture that would be helpful for us to have hidden in our heart.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship” (Rom. 8:15).
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
“For the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does” (Ps. 33:4).
