Your Joy No One Will Take From You
In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.
May the blessing of the Father who calls us and His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ who saves us,
and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and transforms us be with us all,
that we may hear His word and bear fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Amen.
“Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice;
and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy…
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice,
and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:20, 22)
These are not the words of man—they are the words of our Lord Himself. Christ, knowing the pain of the Cross and the sorrow that would soon fill the hearts of His disciples, does not promise the absence of pain. Instead, He promises a transformation: “your sorrow will be turned into joy.” Not replaced. Not ignored. Transformed.
The Importance of Joy
Modern psychology tells us something that the Gospel already proclaimed two thousand years ago: joyful people are healthier in body and mind. They are more resilient, more productive, and more able to learn. Especially in youth, joy is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
But what kind of joy are we talking about?
Is a person who laughs always joyful? Is someone who smiles always at peace?
Is the youth on the street, joking loudly and carelessly, truly happy?
Is the man dancing under the influence of alcohol truly joyful?
We must be careful not to confuse superficial excitement with deep, unshakable joy.
Saint Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
That means Christian joy is not seasonal. It is not tied to mood or external events. It is not like the drunkenness that fades or the high that crashes. True Christian joy stays even in pain. It is the joy of the Resurrection planted within the soil of the Cross.
True Joy: In All Circumstances
What Is True Joy?
Let’s ask an honest question:
- Is someone truly joyful just because they are laughing?
- Can we say a person is joyful simply because they are smiling?
- Is the group of youth joking loudly in the street, throwing crude remarks—are they really full of joy?
- And what about the man stumbling under the influence of alcohol, swaying left and right?
Is that joy?
The truth is, people often confuse appearances with reality. They see laughter and assume joy. But laughter can hide deep sorrow. Smiles can mask anxiety. And much of what passes for “fun” in the world is really an attempt to escape inner emptiness.
True joy, beloved, is not shallow. It is not momentary. It does not disappear when the party ends or the drink wears off. True joy has depth and permanence. It’s the kind of joy the Holy Scripture commands:
“Rejoice always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)
“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” (Philippians 3:1)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
Drunkenness brings no joy when the person sobers up. Addiction does not bring gladness when the effect wears off. Quite the opposite—shame, sorrow, and regret often follow the illusion of happiness.
As St. Basil the Great said:
“Worldly joy is like a dream—it deceives for a moment and then vanishes.”
But the Christian? He is joyful at all times.
In hardship and in blessing.
In sickness and in health.
In loneliness or in the company of loved ones.
Why?
Because he knows his life is not his own—it belongs to God.
And like St. James tells us:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” (James 1:2)
Joy Is Tested by Trials
True faith is measured by how we hold onto our inner joy—
not letting the noise, chaos, or pain of the world leak into our hearts.
That’s why our Lord says in John 15:11:
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Let’s look at two biblical examples—real people who lived this truth:
Joseph the Righteous
In Genesis, Joseph had every reason to lose joy. Betrayed by his brothers, enslaved, falsely accused, imprisoned…
Yet whether in his father’s house, in Potiphar’s home, or in the prison cell—Joseph kept his peace. He trusted in God. And in due time, the joy of the Lord lifted him to the palace.
The Virgin Mary
From a young age, the Theotokos faced misunderstanding and solitude. Yet she never lost her praise.
She sang:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47)
She rejoiced when Christ was in her womb… and when He left her home to preach.
She rejoiced even as she stood under the Cross. And her joy was crowned in the Resurrection.
As St. Ambrose wrote:
“Mary’s heart rejoiced, not in what she possessed, but in whom she believed.”
Joy Must Be in the Lord
This brings us to the second quality of true joy: its source must be the Lord.
Any joy rooted in the world is temporary. No matter how exciting, how pleasing—it will fade.
But joy that is in the Lord will endure and deepen.
David the Prophet said:
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1)
And again:
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
The martyrs are perhaps our greatest example.
Did they not sing in the face of torture?
Did they not rejoice as they were thrown to the beasts?
Did they not lift their eyes to Heaven as the fire rose around them?
Their joy wasn’t fake—it was eternal joy, springing from the living waters of Christ in them.
As the Desert Fathers said:
“The world may bind the body, but it cannot bind the soul that rejoices in the Lord.”
Beloved, never be fooled by the glitter of the world’s joy.
It is a candle in the wind.
But the joy of Christ is a flame that burns within and cannot be put out.
As St. Paul writes in Romans 14:17:
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Look at Joseph in the Old Testament. Whether he was in the pit, in prison, or in Pharaoh’s palace—his joy and peace never left him. And the Virgin Mary? Her Magnificat was sung in poverty, in misunderstanding, in awe, and in glory. She rejoiced in the stable, not just in the Resurrection garden.
St. James says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” (James 1:2)
This kind of joy is not natural—it is supernatural.
As St. John Chrysostom wrote while exiled and sick:
“No one can grieve him who rejoices in the Lord, not the devil, not man, not anything else. Such a person stands above all troubles.”
True Joy Is Rooted in the Lord
True joy flows not from events, but from the Person of Christ. The Virgin Mary declares,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47)
And David echoes in the Psalms,
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1)
Saint Augustine said:
“He who has God has everything. Even in sorrow, he rejoices, because he holds on to the One who never changes.”
This is why the saints—especially the martyrs—sang on their way to death. Not because they were deluded, but because they had tasted a deeper joy. Their hearts were already in the heavens.
Their hymn was this: “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.” (Psalm 33:1)
Even the flames and the lions could not steal their joy.
Four Foundations of Lasting Joy
Let us look now at the pillars that support true joy.
1. Peace of Heart
Christ said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27)
Peace is not the absence of problems—it is the presence of Christ in the storm.
Without peace, there can be no joy. The soul needs to be calm, not because life is easy, but because the Lord is near.
As St. Seraphim of Sarov said:
“Acquire the spirit of peace, and a thousand souls around you will be saved.”
2. Trust in God
David rejoiced because he trusted. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” (Psalm 55:22)
And again, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
David didn’t rejoice because life was smooth. He rejoiced because God was faithful.
St. Peter writes:
“Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8)
Look at Peter himself. Imprisoned in Acts 12, chained between guards, he sleeps like a child. The angel finds him asleep, not anxious. That is Christian trust. That is joy unshaken.
3. A Clear Conscience
Joy cannot live in a guilty heart. When David sinned, he lost his peace. He wept on his bed. But when he repented, he sang again.
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,” he cried. (Psalm 51:12)
Repentance brings back joy. Confession renews the soul. The Church, in her wisdom, gave us this great treasure—so we would not carry guilt, but receive grace.
St. Isaac the Syrian said:
“There is no greater joy than the joy of the soul cleansed from sin.”
This is why we confess, why we repent—not out of guilt, but to regain joy.
4. Love and Unity
St. Paul writes:
“Rejoice! Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)
Where there is love, there is joy.
Where there is forgiveness, there is laughter.
Where there is unity, there is strength.
But when pride and selfishness enter, joy departs. Even churches can lose their joy if love grows cold.
Let us love like Joseph—who forgave his brothers.
Let us rejoice like heaven when one sinner returns.
Let us rejoice not in revenge or success over enemies—but in the love of Christ that covers all things.
Proverbs says:
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” (Proverbs 24:17)
St. Gregory of Nyssa reminds us:
“The one who rejoices in the fall of another has already lost Christ’s joy.”
The Goal of Joy: Heaven
In the end, our joy is not in this world. Christ says,
“Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)
St. Paul declares:
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)
But we have a hope that does not disappoint. A kingdom where there is no pain, no tears, no loss.
And so, “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
This is the life of the Christian.
May the Lord bless us, transform our hearts and minds,
that our homes may stand on the Rock, our hands serve in the harvest, and our hearts long for Heaven. Amen.