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RELIGIOUS JOY

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Nov 22, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 47.

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RELIGIOUS JOY.

THE religion of Jesus is a joyful religion. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Every Christian has this in some degree. It is a supernatural joy, and does not depend upon circumstances, for it comes from within. Worldlings rejoice when everything goes well, from a worldly standpoint; some professed Christians rejoice when prospered in worldly things, and sometimes even when in an enthusiastic religious service; but this may be but natural joy. Supernatural joy wells up from an unseen fountain when earthly joy has fled. It gushes out right in the midst of the desert, and if we looked at the desert for its source, we should not discover it. Habakkuk knew about this joy, for he says, "Altho the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
Any worldling can rejoice when all goes well. Only a Christian can rejoice when things seem to go wrong. In the darkest day a Christian ever saw he can rejoice in God when he can not in anything else. Joy makes a Christian strong in his every-day life. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." He is a weak Christian who has spells of the blues or carries about a gloomy face. He is a discomfort to himself and repels others. It is the expression of joy that makes a telling impression upon the world. This poor, heart-broken world, staggering under its burdens, is attracted only by this kind of religion. The shouts of redeemed saints and converted sinners have often sent more conviction into the hearts of sinners than tons of paper essays read from polished pulpits. The church of the future that is really to make inroads upon the kingdom of Satan will be the church that has a joyful religion, that buoys up the sinking soul.—Christian Witness.