McAlder Blog

Joy has many definitions. Merriam-Webster defines joy as both “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune,” and “a source or cause of delight,” (“Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary).  Another way of approaching the concept of joy is the glass half full or half empty metaphor, which draws the comparison between a person's perception of the glass’s fullness, or lack thereof, and their outlook on life. Viewing a glass as half full is associated with optimism and joy, whereas viewing a glass as half empty is associated with pessimism and hopelessness. Yet, I can’t help but think of how these representations of joy miss out on so much! It feels dull to try and define joy without Jesus.

I tend to be a glass-half full individual, but there are times when I find myself viewing a situation as “half empty.” Over time I’ve noticed that when this kicks in, it’s usually because I have forgotten to trust God with the outcome. When we aren’t experiencing success or good fortune, can we still have joy? As great as dictionaries and metaphors are, I find much greater satisfaction in the definition of joy that the Bible communicates to us. God Himself IS our joy (Psalm 43:4). He created joy; It was His idea (Psalm 65). He created the good things that bring us true joy! The psalmist says that “In [His] presence there is fullness of joy,” (Psalm 16:11, ESV). Moreover, the Bible Project defines biblical joy as “a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfill his promises.” I love how this not only points to joy as an emotion rooted in God’s faithfulness but also clarifies the choice we are faced with daily. Joy is a result of choosing and trusting God, no matter how full or how empty the glass of water looks.

I imagine that in the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, the glass in the metaphor would have simply been a cup abundantly full and always overflowing. I wonder if we’ve only come up with the half-full glass parallel in response to our broken world. If sin had not entered the world, would there even be such a thing as a glass only half full?

In Psalm 23:5, David talks about an overflowing cup; a cup that overflows because of the abounding nature of God’s presence. It’s a cup that spills over to impact other people in David’s life. When we choose a life with Jesus, we experience a cup that is neither half full nor half empty, but rather a cup overflowing with God’s joy. It’s a cup we don’t deserve, but it’s gifted to each of us. As imperfect humans, we often spill our cup and find ourselves only half full; However, when we choose Christ, His Spirit refills and overflows this cup again and again because of the price Jesus paid on the cross for us (1 Peter 1:3-8, NIV).

My hope this month is that we are reminded of what true joy looks like, and we choose to view our cup as half full and let God overflow the rest. Let His joy overflow into your life. Pause, and be still in moments of celebration and accomplishment, and thank God for His faithfulness and joy. Pause, and be still in moments of mourning and grief, and be reminded of our God who is always near to us and has made a promise to us: Grief will turn to joy (John 16:16-24), and our treasure is in heaven (Luke 12:33).

The truth found in James 1:2-3 (NIV) helps me in times when the cup is feeling a little empty: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Trust God and choose joy. God wants you to experience the overflowing cup of His joy by remembering that one day, we won’t even need the cup anymore, as there will be a continuous fountain of joy in the presence our God and Father in eternity.

Be Still: God is our source of joy. Below are some Scripture suggestions for the month of February so you can dive further into this theme.

Psalm 43:4, Psalm 118:24, Matthew 5:12, John 16:16-24, James 1:2-4, Acts 16:22-36, Galatians 5:22, Philippians 1:4

RightNow Media video series for kids: “Where does Joy come from?”  

References:  

The Bible Project - Word Study: Joy