A few days ago I lost my favorite watch. After stumbling through the day feeling like part of my arm was missing, that evening I found my watch.
What joy!
A few days later, however, remembering the lost watch incident, my joy was not as intense. After a week, the joy had completely faded away. Yet at that moment the watch was not lost again!
So what happened here?
Simply that what was now lost wasn’t again the watch, but the joy in finding it!
Chinese Christian teacher Watchman Nee likens such an example to the Christian experience. He wrote about the joy we experience when first saved, but over time often dissipates, resulting in a life of spiritual highs and lows, or what Nee calls times of “joy” or “dryness”.
Most think a joyous feeling denotes spiritual height—so when we lose our joy, we ramp up efforts to regain what we think we lost, by going to church, more Bible reading, etc.
But here’s the point: although our joyous feeling is at times lost, the object of that joy—Christ—is not!
What is the secret to lasting joy, and what does it look like?
Nee writes:
Christians nowadays incline too strongly towards a life of feeling. Yet God does not say to live by feeling but He says to live by faith. After years of experience you will come to realize that joy and dryness are really the same.
Oh that we may not act like those with a small capacity—in joy they dance in the house; in dryness they drench the wall with tears. If we live by faith we shall not be swayed by either of them.
Even so, let it be plainly understood that we are not people without emotion. We do have feelings of joy as well as dryness. But we ought not allow these external sensations to touch our inward man . . . the joy which the outward man feels is not that which the inward man enjoys in the Lord, because this latter joy is most deep and unshakable.[1]
Through all life’s seasons, feelings fluctuate. But a life of faith gains joy—and strength—through the inner awareness of the source of that joy, Jesus Christ!
. . . the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
As times of joy and dryness become one, inner strength emerges—the deep unshakable joy of His presence—the secret to lasting joy!
[1] Watchman Nee, The Salvation of the Soul, (Christian Fellowship Publishers 1978), p. 114-115.
Copyright © Cheryl Elton 2018
“Enter the joy of your Master (Lord)”
I often feel like I may have missed something when brothers and sisters talk about their conversion experience. I did not have a focal point of conception, but my faith grew from a child of believing. So joy for me is a fruit of the Spirit developing in me; sometimes accompanied with feeling. I love your watch episode, how true! I can so relate.
So it inspired me to say: I’m so glad Truth is a person, Who loves us and who we love in relationship. That may be a key to HIS joy, and entering in, thou good and faithful servant.
Thank you Cheryl, my sister.
Love this! Thank you for sharing. What a blessing. XO
A great reminder of truth. Thanks, Cheryl.
Wow! This really sums up exactly what I know in my heart, but need to remember in my soul. You have reminded me that even when I am going through an unhappy time or a challenging situation, and I don’t “feel” joyful, I just need to remember that the object of my joy, Jesus, has not left me. Just remembering that truth alone restores my joy.
Thanks for such an encouraging message. This really made my day.
Made my day! Thank you for the reminder, remembering who we are in Christ. Unspeakable joy!! Amen and God Bless!
Thanks Val! Blessings to you too.