Advent joy

The theme for the third week in advent is joy. We have advent candles in the church worship service, and some of you may have them at home. Three of the four candles are usually dark blue or dark purple. One of the candles is pink.

The colors of the candles represent feelings we have during advent. Purple or blue represent sorrow and/or repentance for our sin. Those feelings are fine for the other three weeks of advent where the themes are faith, hope and love. Faith, hope and love can coexist with sorrow and repentance, and may even drive us to sorrow and repentance.

But joy doesn’t fit with feelings of sorrow and repentance. Joy often comes after we have expressed sorrow and repentance and received forgiveness for our sins. The pink candle represents joy.  

Joy and happiness are often used interchangeably. While they are closely related, there is an important distinction between the two. Happiness is dependent on what’s happening; which is a temporary experience. Joy on the other hand runs much deeper, and is itself a potential source of happiness.

There are things in my life that make me happy, and there are things that make me unhappy. Sometimes those feelings are shallow and fleeting, and sometimes they are deep. Joy goes deeper than the things life may hand me. Joy is based on a happening in my life that supersedes this life. Joy is based on God the Father loving me so much that he sent Jesus the Son to die for me so that I may become a child of God. Joy is nurtured by the indwelling Holy Spirit who reminds me of those things.

This week we will look at two different scriptures: Psalm 126 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24. These will help us realize the permanent nature of what causes our joy despite what may or may not make us happy.

And it’s good to know that while COVID may make us unhappy, we can still have joy in our relationship with God.

If you need help finding joy in your life please contact me.