The Abiding Joy of Christmas

 

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:17–24 ESV).

 

The joy of Christmas isn’t the same as happiness. Happiness can be thought of as a fleeting state of wellbeing that depends on circumstances. Christians shouldn’t disregard happiness. I’ve heard way too many Christians dismiss the goodness of being happy. Happiness, while fleeting, is still a gift from God. Joy, however, is different. Mike Schmitz defines joy as “The abiding and pervasive sense of wellbeing.” Ultimately that’s what Jesus came to bring to us, an abiding and pervasive sense of true wellbeing.

 

In our reading today, the Apostle Paul lists “the works of the flesh” followed by “the fruit of the Spirit.” We cannot but notice that joy is one of those “fruits.” However, if we are not careful in our interpretation, we might miss the truth that joy is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the vine that produces that fruit. We must remember that the Holy Spirit was not available to do that work in us until Jesus came and finished the work of atonement. We simply could not have joy without Christmas, the cross, and the resurrection.

 

This Christmas Joy is different. It is abiding; it’s lasting, it endures, it is firmly rooted. This joy is pervasive; it isn’t limited to just one part of your life, it affects all of who you are and what you do. It is rooted in a sense of wellbeing; it’s related to flourishing. When you’re flourishing you’re thriving. When you’re thriving you’re living life as it is meant to be lived. Joy is the abiding and pervasive sense of living life as you were meant to live it. Thank God for Christmas!