Fruit of the Spirit- Joy

So, I don’t know how many of us that work for Methodist Family Health are actually members of the United Methodist Church. However, even if you are not a practicing member of the UMC, you have probably seen, either on the news or social media, the turmoil that is happening in our denomination this week.

The simplified version is that the UMC held a legislative conference this week to make some decisions as to what the church believes and will practice regarding the ordination of homosexual clergy, and whether or not clergy member can perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. (Along with that, they have also been discussing exit plans for churches who don’t agree with the decisions made, what will happen to church property, to clergy retirement plans, etc….)

This conference has been live-streamed the past few days, and I watched/listened as often as I was able. And, regardless of what people believe is the “correct” way to do things, I can definitely tell you that I observed hurt during this time. There are people who feel excluded, and people on both sides who feel attacked and misunderstood. There are rumors of schisms, of new denominations, and of continued fighting. I can say for certain that this conversation is not over, and that much work and discussion is still to come surrounding these issues.

And yet, in all of this, our topic for this week as we walk through the Fruits of the Spirit is “joy.” Joy may seem so incompatible to the United Methodist Church right now (or to anyone dealing with any kind of difficulty), yet joy is what we are called to exhibit. Literally, this week, as I was leading our “joy” Bible Study with our RTC kids, I received at least 3 different text messages lamenting the decisions being made at the conference. I had just told the kids that they were to be hopefully in difficult situations, and that true joy really means trusting in God. And then, when I checked my phone 10 minutes later, I had to choose whether or not I was going to live what I had JUST taught.

As I’ve told our clients this week, and as we all know, joy is not the same as happiness. Joy is trust that God is in control, and is the understanding that things are okay, despite the circumstances. Happiness is what “HAPpens” to us, and joy is an underlying contentment that we live in when we trust in Christ.

While I didn’t grow up in the Methodist Church, I am now a member, and I have come to love the UMC and the work that it does. I have many friends and colleagues who are hurting, confused, and unsure of what the future is going to hold for them (regardless of how they feel about the issues at hand.) I know that joy may seem so distant for them today. However, when I think about our clients, and all of the traumas and life experiences that they have had, I know that they are in the same boat. Uncertainty is uncertainty, whether you are concerned about your job, your faith, your ability to protect those you love, where you are going to live, the health of a family member, or the vast number of other difficulties that we may face in a given day.

It is hard to look at anyone going through these kinds of troubles and simply say, “Trust God.” But friends, while that message is simple, it is also the ONLY thing that can be said. When situations are beyond our control or understanding, and when we can’t provide the fix, the only thing left sustaining us is that trust. Joy is not the absence of difficulty, it is the trust that God is big enough to handle what we are facing.

When joy is mentioned in the Bible, it is so often paired with difficulty. We see the captives from Zion returning with joy. We see the armies coming back from battle singing out in joy to God. We see the rejoicing that comes after a night of mourning. We see James telling us to “count it all joy” when we faces trials. Over and over and over again, we see the joy that comes in the midst of the hard times. It is in the dark places that the light of God has the opportunity to shine the brightest. Today, whatever the difficulty that you are facing, may you simply “trust God,” knowing that is the best (and possibly the only) option. And, even if you aren’t walking through the day with a smile on your face, may you walk with contentment in your heart.