On the third Sunday of Advent, we light the pink—or rose-colored—candle. Traditionally called the Shepherds’ Candle, it represents joy.
But just like Hope and Love in the earlier weeks of Advent, Joy also has many counterfeits. One of the most common substitutes is happiness. What’s the difference? Happiness is a state of well-being or contentment; it’s a pleasurable or satisfying experience.
Joy, however, is a source or cause of great happiness—it is rooted in something (or Someone) that produces lasting delight.
Here’s the question: Do you want an experience that fades… or a connection to the source that endures? Trying to find joy in the trappings and traditions of Christmas is like opening a beautifully wrapped present labeled “Joy Inside”—only to discover the box is empty. Our traditions don’t contain joy; they point to it. If we want the empty spaces in our hearts truly filled, we must look not merely at Christmas, but through Christmas—to the One in whom indestructible, unspeakable joy is found.
