Joy is at the heart of Christ. And yet, joy is the noun I struggle with most. Joy causes a hitch in my throat that says, “But wait; what about all the hurt and sadness and violence?”

Joy feels irrelevant or off-key or out of step in a world where:

  • Human trafficking and slavery exist
  • Women in the workplace face a wage disparity
  • Racism flourishes
  • Without provocation, one country attacks another country, and the world condemns with words, sends money, but doesn’t intervene.

Joy feels like stand-up comedy at a funeral. And yet, despite all our hang-ups about joy, joy is inextricably tied to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Key Quotes

  • “We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘God cares more about your character than your happiness,’ as if an infinite God doesn’t have the capacity to care about both simultaneously. – Jill E. McCormick
  • “Perhaps joy is so hard for us to receive and understand because it is what Jesus wants for us, AND what our enemy works hardest to steal. ” – Jill E. McCormick
  • “Joy is defiant resistance.” – Jill E. McCormick
  • “Joy is the rebellious act of remembering that God is with us – even here – in the presence of pain and the desperation of suffering.– Jill E. McCormick
  • “Joy is Jesus. And joy has come.” – Jill E. McCormick

As Mentioned in the Podcast

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