“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” – John 15:11
Most people want joy. You probably do too. The good news is that Jesus wants that for you! Jesus wants every follower to have complete, full joy in Him. He offers joy that surpasses all human understanding because it’s His divine, holy, eternal joy in the Lord.
However, if you want to experience that lasting, utterly satisfying joy, you need to read carefully the verses that came before this one. The full, glorious joy Jesus offers doesn’t come from having lots of money, having a great job, having a big house, having a fast car, having a beautiful family, winning awards, or being perfectly comfortable and safe. Those things don’t provide lasting joy. Period.
Here’s what provides true joy, according in to Jesus:
- Believing in Him and knowing that you’re truly, perfectly clean and loved by God because of His sacrifice for you on the cross (John 15:3).
- Abiding in Jesus. Keeping your eyes and hearts focused on Him, walking with Him, worshiping Him, praying with Him (John 15:4-7).
- Abiding in the love of Jesus. Thinking often of how much He loves you, what He sacrificed for you, and how He’s always with you (John 15:9).
- Bearing fruit for Him in His power. Doing the work of the Kingdom as your top priority. Making disciples (followers of Jesus) who make disciples [John 15:4-5, 8].
- Being pruned by God for greater fruitfulness. Giving up bad things, neutral things, and even good things that hold you back from great things and maximum impact for God’s Kingdom (John 15:2)
- Obeying Christ’s commands. All of them. The ones you like and the ones you don’t like. The easy ones and the difficult ones (John 15:10).
As you do these things more and more you’ll experience the true and ultimate joy available to us as creatures made in God’s image. You’ll be filled with the joy and presence of Christ and your joy will be made perfect and complete. Stop looking for joy in other places. Stop looking for shortcuts to joy. Look to Jesus and do what He says and you’ll experience joy forever and ever!