Joy is more than a feeling

Joy—Love, Joy, Peace. These words from Galatians 5:22 are well known and often quoted as virtues of Christian living, known as the fruit of the Spirit. This morning, as I reflected, one word stood out in my mind: Joy. I considered its placement between Love and Peace and realised there is a deeper reason for its position.

Joy often gets overlooked or mistaken for simple happiness. We think of joy as the cheer next to a sports field when our team scores or the quiet satisfaction of a promotion. But joy goes beyond those moments. The fact that it is sandwiched between love and peace suggests that joy is not just an experience but a vital bridge.

By understanding joy’s placement, we can appreciate its more profound power. It isn’t just a feeling; it’s an essential part of the journey from love to peace.

Joy is often confused with intense happiness or moments of success. It’s seen as a fleeting feeling, a reaction to positive events.

We may experience joy when celebrating a sports victory, achieving a promotion, or completing a physical feat like climbing a mountain. While these moments are joyful, they are not fully what true joy means.

True joy is more than these temporary highs. It stands firmly on the shoulders of love and stretches out toward peace. It is steady and enduring, not swayed by external circumstances.

To understand joy in its fullness, we must see it as more than a mere feeling—it is a profound state of being rooted in love.

So, where does this deeper joy come from, and how powerful is it? If joy follows love in Galatians, it’s reasonable to think it springs from love.

We often say, "God is love," and from that love, joy is born. And so it seems Luke agreed as he witnessed the announcement of Jesus’s birth in Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

But there is a twist to the story. All of joy is not that simple and comfortable. James 1:2-4 asks of us something more to consider: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

This scripture challenges our view of joy, expanding it beyond pleasant experiences. It suggests that joy can exist even in hardship, as it is rooted in divine love that sustains us through trials.

By understanding that joy is birthed from love, we can see how it naturally leads to peace. Joy is not just for moments of victory but for the hard times that strengthen us.

The life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ illustrate joy’s profound power. His example shows that joy can endure even the most incredible suffering.

In Hebrews 12:2, we read: “For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus faced unimaginable trials yet found joy in the purpose behind them—to bring salvation to us, to reconcile us to the Father, and ultimately to bring us peace.

This joy was not shallow; it was a deep, driving force. It wasn’t based on present comfort, but on the future peace and love it would bring to humanity.

Jesus’ joy was anchored in his love for us and led to peace, demonstrating that true joy can transform suffering into something meaningful and redemptive.

Finally, joy leads us to peace—a peace that transcends understanding and guards our hearts.

Philippians 4:7 promises, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Jesus, known as the Prince of Peace, offers this assurance in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”* 

The peace that follows joy is not fragile or conditional. It is strong enough to weather any storm because it flows from a joy rooted in love.

Understanding this journey from love to joy to peace helps us embrace each step. Joy, then, is an invitation to rely on divine love and find peace even amidst trials.

Joy is not just a feeling or a moment of happiness—it’s the steady bridge that connects love to peace. By recognising this, we can find joy not only in life’s victories but also in its challenges, for Joy is more than a feeling, it is a person. Joy is finding the open arms of safety of our saviour Jesus, walking the path to peace set before us.