Joy is something many Christians battle with daily. Right alongside joy is depression. It is often said that Christians should be exhibiting joy. It is a fruit of the spirit that Christians are to show, right? Why then are so many battling depression?
As a wife and a mom, I have struggled with this issue over the last few months. With all the stress of life, I have found it difficult to be happy. I honestly find myself crying at a drop of a hat. I find myself trying to battle a cloud just waiting to engulf me whole. I want to hide out. I want to curl up in a corner.
Then I would find myself ridden with guilt because of the lack of happiness. I go to church and hear about Paul who was in prison, but still showed tremendous joy because of his love for Jesus Christ. I know there are others worse off then my family, yet I find myself sad.
"What am I doing wrong," I find myself asking. I have a wonderful family, a wonderful church, etc. I am one of those rare people that do take joy in cooking and cleaning for my family. Yet this sadness is still looming all the while with an extra helping of guilt for my Christian walk not being able to show happiness in all circumstances.
I share this because God opened my eyes to something revolutionary last week that I wished I had heard years ago. It would have saved hours of pity and guilt.
I share in hopes that someone who is struggling too can maybe find some comfort in knowing this. When I asked God what was wrong he was quick to answer.
I attended this Bible study with a sweet veteran teacher. She shared about her own struggle with depression and guilt. She told how she was on staff at a church when she experienced the worse depression that she couldn't shake. Her doctor offered her medication, but she declined because she was a "Christian and Christians have Jesus and do not need medicine."
Then God opened her eyes. Her sharing opened my eyes. The joy Paul talks about while in prison has nothing to do with feelings. The joy in the Bible has nothing to do with feeling happy. Do Biblical truths ever have to do with feelings?
The Biblical definition of joy is "a deep and abiding confidence in God." No where in that definition is the word happy!
What a freeing definition! Does that mean God doesn't want Christians to be happy? That is not at all what I am saying.
How freeing is it for me to know that it is ok to be down or sad at times! Granted, joy is something that all Christians are promised and is experienced when believers hear and obey God's word. It is given to us by the Holy Spirit as a gift.
But joy comes from our hope in God. And it is not feeling happy. It is trusting God in all times. Depression is something eating away at our society, Christians included.
It is time that we recognize the issue, pray about it and realize that it is ok to ask for help. God is our refuge and we should never stop praising Him despite our circumstances. Take away the guilt along the way because being real is more beneficial to the non-Christian then being in denial and faking happiness. Genuine people bring more to Christ then those who hide their struggles.
Next time you find yourself needing to cry, go for it without guilt. Remember the true meaning of joy and sit back and let it all out.
