What if joy was a place?

Joy on a swing by markkitaoka

As Christians, most of us understand that joy is more than a feeling and is not necessarily to be equated with a smile on our face! But, what if joy was a place?  When people commented on the joy in Damaris Zehner, even though she felt anything but joyful she began to wonder if joy was not more of a place.

“I concluded that joy isn’t a feeling or a thing we have; it’s almost more of a place, one that we’re invited to enter into and abide in.  Joy is the keeping of God’s commandments; it is faithfulness in discharging duties.  It’s the result of endurance, and also the reason for it.”

Reminds me of a post I made a few weeks back when I suggested that obedience turns pain into joy.

Zehner quotes Hebrews 12:1-2; James 1:1-2 and Psalm 125:5-6 in support of her comments about joy which I appreciate.  I think what Zehner is saying is that joy is the place of obedience (my words, not hers).  In obedience, we will be content, we will be joyful, we will be in the will of God.

But, what grabbed my attention was Zehner’s allusion to the weight of people’s  expectations.

They all wanted to know about my work overseas and my spiritual life.  Many of them presumed my spiritual life was triumphant – I was a missionary, after all.

Does anyone have a story or comment out there on the presumption of missionary spirituality? Please share them with us.

Another post on missionary spirituality seems to be in order!

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