3 Ways to Get Your Christian Delight Back
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- Updated Jun 22, 2022
Have you ever met a Christian so light-hearted, so happy — so plain old joyous — that you feel a bit jealous about their faith, and the way they present themselves to the world? Some people light up from the inside when they contain Christ within them. While they do understand that life is hard and being a Christian requires responsible living and a devoted interior life, some Christians evidence tangible, contagious joy, even as life gets harder and more complicated.
What exactly is their secret — how do they remain so light-hearted?
Here are three things to consider, if you would like to get your own faith-filled joy back:
Remember, the Gospel Is Called “Good News”
Often, we forget a core reality — our faith is called “good news”! And what is this good news? It is this: that through Christ, we are freed from sin, restored to God, and healed of our brokenness. God showed His enduring love for us, as sinful as we are, by sending His son down to us — to live and walk amongst us, sharing the very nature of His heavenly Father — ultimately, at great cost.
That type of complete and selfless love — and the “good news” bestowed upon mankind — should be reason enough for us to be joyous! We are so loved, so valued, and so dear to the Lord that He sent Jesus. Additionally, Jesus is with us now, to help, guide, listen, and love.
Romans 15:13 reads, “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.” We are to be both filled and overflowing, according to this beautiful verse.
The people whose faith is on fire remember this first — that the gospel, and our faith, is good news, and we should “overflow” with that knowledge every day!
Let This “Good News” Guide Your Day
Now that we are reminded of all the love, hope, and joy our faith brings, how do we convert that into real change?
We must regularly examine our faith from the lens of gratitude, and then transfer that gratitude into daily optimism and happiness. While Christians surely go through sorrows, trials, and frustrations just like everyone else, we have a secret; we are not alone in it. Those who live with undeniable joy and light-heartedness have been able to absorb to their core that they are the beneficiary of God’s perfect love and Christ’s redeeming sacrifice. This unshakeable knowledge is evident to all those they interact with, and they are wonderful examples of our hope in Jesus Christ.
When my third son was little and still in a car seat, he would often kick his little sneaker-clad feet and say, “I am going to be in heaven with God forever and ever — I just can’t frink of it!” (He adorably said “frink” instead of “think”!)
This is the joy I am talking about — the joy a three-year-old can feel in his soul. It doesn’t come from an intellectual place, but instead a deeply spiritual place. I believe the Holy Spirit was very involved with my little one’s announcements of not only the fact that he would be with the Lord forever, but also that this fact is hard to comprehend. The joy and the peace we all will know someday is hard to comprehend.
To start your day, try seeking out Bible verses that focus on joy. Shorter verses can be easily memorized, to bring that feeling of peace and happiness throughout your day.
Here are a few:
“Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” (Psalms 47:1)
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)
“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
These verses don’t just tell of an overall sense of general happiness, but instead, a deep gladness and delight. If you aren’t feeling this as a Christian — at least some of the time — it may be time to intentionally reconnect with what God ultimately wants for you; lasting joy!
Remember, You Are Seen
It is a fact that life is getting harder. More people around the globe are struggling with problems from food insecurity to terrorism, and our own country seems to be awash in strife, bitterness, and problems that range from economic to moral. We are stressed. Yet the faithful still keep gladness in their hearts. Our story is not nearly over, and there is purpose in the struggle. We have a future with God Almighty.
Early in my Christian journey, I watched the televised funeral of pro golfer Payne Stewart, who was a Christian. He was a colorful and enthusiastic tour player who loved to wear knickers and a tam o’ shanter on the course, and it was a shocking tragedy when his life ended in 1999 in a plane crash at age 42.
Shortly before his death, and directly after winning a U.S. Open tournament, Payne was quoted as saying, "I'm proud of the fact that my faith in God is so much stronger and I'm so much more at peace with myself than I've ever been in my life. Where I was with my faith last year and where I am now is leaps and bounds."
What I remember about his funeral was how joyous everyone was. I marveled at this; how could these people — these Christians — laugh, reminisce, and even feel joy, after such a tragic and unexpected passing? Did they remember that Stewart was, in fact, dead? They were acting as if he was still alive.
And so he was — alive in Christ. These believers, much farther along the Christian path than I was at the time, understood that their beloved brother was better than he had ever been; he was safe with Jesus.
Their celebration of life profoundly affected me, and does so to this day. Even in darkness and death, they felt joy. Only God can make us feel what seems impossible to feel, and that is because God is a fact, not an idea. An idea won’t carry you through the darkest times, but a reality will. And God loving us is a reality.
If we can remember that God sees us and is with us, in good times and in bad, we can increase our faith-filled joy. How can we not be joyous and filled with the light of Christ if we never walk alone?
If you remember the joy and peace to be found in Christ, several good things will happen. You will be less tempted by sin, because you won’t want to leave that circle of light. You will truly be living the gospel — that “good news” that we so often overlook in hard times. And you will be in truest relationship, just like a parent and child are when they are experiencing joy with one another and actively loving each another. Sending love back to God with your joy is what He wants — as your ultimate Parent, He seeks only your best — every single moment of your life.
As Jeremiah 29:11 joyfully reminds us, “'For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/jacoblund
