Joy is at the heart of Christ. And yet, joy is the noun I struggle with most.
Joy causes a hitch in my throat that says, “But wait; what about all the hurt and sadness and violence?”
Joy feels irrelevant or off-key or out of step in a world where:
- Human trafficking and slavery exist
- Women in the workplace face a wage disparity
- Racism flourishes
- Without provocation, one country attacks another country, and the world condemns with words, sends money, but doesn’t intervene.
Joy feels like stand-up comedy at a funeral. And yet, despite all our hang-ups about joy, joy is inextricably tied to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Key Quotes
- “We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘God cares more about your character than your happiness,’ as if an infinite God doesn’t have the capacity to care about both simultaneously. - Jill E. McCormick
- “Perhaps joy is so hard for us to receive and understand because it is what Jesus wants for us, AND what our enemy works hardest to steal. ” - Jill E. McCormick
- “Joy is defiant resistance.” - Jill E. McCormick
- “Joy is the rebellious act of remembering that God is with us – even here – in the presence of pain and the desperation of suffering.” - Jill E. McCormick
- “Joy is Jesus. And joy has come.” - Jill E. McCormick
As Mentioned in the Podcast
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