Joy That Sticks: Lessons from Philippians Part 2
Joy That Sticks: Lessons from Philippians Part 2
This is a continuation of my Joy series. Please read Part 1 here.
Joy in Suffering
Paul doesn’t shy away from suffering. He calls it a gift:
“For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29).
Pain is never easy, but it is purposeful. As Paul wrote elsewhere, suffering produces endurance, character, and hope (Rom. 5:3–5). Trials press us closer to Jesus, allowing us to know “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10).
This is not a joy that ignores pain or pretends everything is fine. It is the quiet confidence that God is at work, shaping us into Christ’s likeness and using even our hardships to bless others but mostly to draw us closer to Him. As Elisabeth Elliot said, “The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering. And out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God.”
― Elisabeth Elliot, Suffering is Never for Nothing
Joy in Future Hope
Paul lifts our eyes beyond today’s struggles to tomorrow’s glory:
“Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:20–21).
This hope anchors us. We can endure the aches of this world because we know our true home is with Christ. As Paul urges, we “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). I love this prayer from the late Jonathan Edwards.
Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs!
Where will all of our worldly enjoyments be, when we are laid in the silent grave?
Resolved, to live as I shall wish I had done, when I come to die.
Resolved, to live as I shall wish I had done, ten thousand ages hence.
Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs!
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18
Joy as a Daily Practice
Finally, Paul gives us a command—and an invitation:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).
This isn’t about pretending to be happy. It’s about finding peace in Christ, no matter what life throws our way. Paul had figured out how to be happy in any situation, whether we have everything we need or not:
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12–13).
Joy isn’t something that just happens. It’s a skill we can learn, a daily practice of looking away from ourselves and towards the Savior who never changes. It’s a choice we make, a trust in a sovereign God, a complete surrender to His ways.
Spreading Joy Like Jam
Whether you’re juggling toddlers, facing a medical diagnosis, going through marriage difficulties, financial struggles, or simply walking through an ordinary mundane Monday, the message of Philippians still speaks: Joy isn’t tied to what’s happening around you. It’s rooted in the unshakable truth of the gospel and the presence of Christ. Our Prince of Peace, our humble, gentle, and meek Savior.
So spread joy generously—in your prayers, your conversations, your acts of service, your countenance. Like jam, the more you spread it, the more it will stick to you. And as it sticks, others will taste and see that the Lord is good!
I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! I know you’re singing this now….😉
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Elisabeth Elliot ‘Suffering Is Never for Nothing’
Jonathan Edwards https://www.gracegems.org/2014/05/eyeballs.html
