Advent: Surprised by Joy

In a season when the days are short, the nights are long, and the pandemic continues to leave a trail of destruction in its wake, it seems impossible to conjure up any joy. But just as Jesus was both a man of sorrows and the Prince of Peace, true joy is inexorably intertwined with the pang of suffering. While happiness stems from an absence of pain and is derived from our surroundings, joy comes alongside our pain and is derived from Jesus. It is in our relationship with God that our deepest longing, and thus our joy, is made complete. For joy, rather than a fleeting feeling that comes at the mercy of our circumstances, is an everlasting gift that transcends our grief and sorrows and overwhelms us with praise for the One who gave it to us.