Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

My toddler has officially entered the dangerous phase of repeating everything the people around him say. Sometimes he’ll ask, “what that mean?” but much of the time he just repeats what he hears without a clue or care as to the meaning of his words. And I think we Christians can develop this same habit. We hear the churchy words, and we begin parroting them like we think we're supposed to. But, if we're honest, we're not sure how they're supposed to truly change our lives.

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This is just one reason I love that we're taking a whole week in this new series to talk about what joy actually is. This is one of those words we hear thrown around a lot, but is it a reality of our lives? When we're in Christ, it certainly can be (John 15:11)! So how do we get there?

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One avenue Scripture teaches us can lead to joy in our lives is through studying and understanding the Word of God. Do you believe that the Word of God can bring joy? Maybe, yes! - you heard the gospel for the first time and were filled with joy you couldn't explain. Maybe you've read a passage before at the exact moment you needed it, and you were filled with the confidence that God heard you and was with you, and that brought you joy! Or...maybe, no – you've always kind of felt like reading the Bible as more of a chore than a delight. If that's you, maybe you're asking, how could the Word of God bring joy?

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The key here is a correct understanding of joy. If we expect reading Scripture to always bring the happy, fun, cheery kind of joy, then we may be disappointed at times. Sure, some parts of Scripture are inspiring, some are fast-paced and intense, and others are actually pretty funny! But there's also a lot of parts that are really hard, challenging, and convicting. How could those parts bring me joy? Conviction and joy might seem paradoxical at first, but when we flip to the book of Nehemiah, we find that they are actually quite connected.

In Nehemiah 8, the people of Israel returning from exile have just heard the Book of the Law read, many for the first time. When they hear God's words to them, they literally begin weeping they are so moved (v. 9). But then, the spiritual leaders of the community remind them that the Holy Spirit speaking through Scripture doesn't lead us to conviction just for us to wallow in the realization that we have fallen short of God's holy standard. It is a call toward holiness and greater dependence on God (vv. 10-11). Nehemiah says, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." If we come to the Word of God in our own strength, we may well be met with the depressing realization that we are broken people, just as the Israelites did. But when we are reminded that, even in our weakness, the joy of the Lord is our strength, our outlook can shift.

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Verse 12 says, "Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them." So how did they go from a place of grief at hearing Scripture to a place of celebrating with authentic joy? Their understanding had shifted. What had initially seemed a crushing burden of failure and falling short, their spiritual leaders reminded them was actually an opportunity to lean on the Lord's strength. For them, this understanding was a dramatic shift that brought great joy and even outflowed into generously sharing what they had with those who had little, as though generosity was a result of greater dependence on God.

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Does the Word have this effect on our hearts too? Are we grieved when we see our sin illuminated by the words of Scripture? But then, do we turn that burden over to God, laying it at the foot of the cross of Christ, where it has already been paid for, and walk forward cloaked in the joy of the Lord, the lasting joy that comes from knowing we are saved, forgiven, and restored?

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This is the journey we can walk each time we come to the Word. It may begin as a moment of mourning, but thanks to the work of Jesus, who completely bore the weight of our sin on his shoulders, we get to also celebrate with great joy every time we come to Scripture. And what is more, we can give that joy away by generously sharing the gospel with those in our lives who haven't yet heard this good news. Like Nehemiah, we too can say Do not grieve! The joy of the Lord can be your strength, too!

For our prayer time today, consider: Where do you need to allow the Word of God to move your heart today? Is it in conviction? Do you need to allow yourself to experience the joy of the Lord by leaning on him? Is it time for your dependence on God to move you to generosity in word or deed? Whatever it is, spend a few minutes talking to God about it today.