Advent Reflection: Joy
By: Lauren Grandizio, 2nd Grade Teacher
“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 KJV
A stampede of small second grade students’ feet thundered to the door. A frenzy commenced of pulling on hats, mittens, and coats. The flurry of excited voices flooded the classroom. Wide-toothed grins (well, some are a little toothless) framed each face. Only one thing was on their minds - the snow that was falling outside was beginning to cover King Arthur’s Knoll on our beautiful campus! Sheer and utter happiness radiated from the beloved logged area our first and second graders share. Some students were trying to make snowballs, and some were just running with the cold snowy breeze blowing in their faces. Many of them removed their masks to catch snowflakes on their tongues. In a moment of nostalgia, I removed my mask as well to partake in this frivolity. A big one landed on my tongue. As it melted, I was reminded that this was one small moment, and, in that small moment, I chose joy.
Joy. Not the first word I would associate with 2020. This year has been complicated, to put it nicely. It’s been a year full of devastating natural disasters, civil unrest due to racial inequality, and the raging COVID-19 virus that continues to take record-breaking numbers of lives. There are so many unknowns about jobs, schools, travel, and normal day-to-day activities. It begs the question: How can I find joy when everything around me seems to be crumbling?
This is a question I pondered as I prepared to teach my second grade students about the Fruits of the Spirit. As I began my devotional lesson, I posed the question to my students, “What does it mean to have joy?”
“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
As you can imagine, the first answer I received (not to mention the three afterward), had to do with being happy. One of the biggest misconceptions of the word “joy” is that it is often used synonymously with the words “happy” or “happiness.” The word “happy” is related to feeling pleasure. Happiness is based on situations outside of our control. In contrast, the word “joy” goes much deeper. Joy is not dependent on external circumstances; to have joy is an internal choice to be content in the One who made all good things.
In Philippians 4:4, Paul writes to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” By not letting our external circumstances define our joy, we are entirely dependent on God. In this matter, we let go of felt security in our circumstances.
This past week, I had a very enlightening conversation with one of my Cambridge colleagues, Maria Dubois. As I shared with her the details of a current situation I had been processing, she said to me, “You know Lauren, I’ve been challenging myself to have a different response when I feel frustration. Instead of saying “God, what if?”, I say “Even though…” As I looked at her questioningly, she continued, “Even though this situation is hard or doesn’t make sense, Jesus is my friend and He is all powerful.”
Having joy means saying just that to God, “Even though this situation/year has been hard, I’m going to choose joy and be content in whatever comes my way. This practice also challenges us to be present and to take in the small moments. We can count every gift and blessing if we stay in those present small moments.
Something that I have learned in 2020 is that our situations and circumstances in life are very real yet fleeting. Things come and go. One day we have a job, the next day we don’t. Kids are learning on campus, then they are learning at home. The majority of the world is well one day, the next day thousands are fighting a harmful virus. We cannot depend on the world because the world is fallen and chaotic. So where do we find joy amongst all of the brokenness? We find our joy in the One who loves us extravagantly, who can do the impossible: He is Christ the Lord, the very same, whose birth we celebrate every Christmas!
“We can choose joy because Jesus chose joy first.”
Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” (NIV).
Jesus was able to endure the cross because He knew what was to come, that all humanity would have the opportunity to know Him personally and to have eternal life. And in that, we can certainly find joy!
As you read the Christmas story with your family, consider how you can choose joy. What is God saying to your heart about finding joy in your circumstances? Know that He seeks you and that we can find Him in all circumstances when we choose joy.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)