Ecclesiastes 2:10–11 (NLT)
Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
Our culture is obsessed with happiness. Everywhere we turn—movies, social media, advertisements—they’re all screaming at us: “You need happiness, and this is how you get it!”
Solomon, who next to Jesus, was the wisest person who ever lived, wrote Ecclesiastes. Notice what he said he discovered when he had everything he ever wanted: “It was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind.” He had everything this world had to offer, health, wealth, and prosperity. You name it, he had it. And he said nothing was “really worthwhile anywhere.”
Wow, that’s the exact opposite of the messaging of the world we live in. So if Solomon, who was one of the wisest men in history and had everything this world had to offer, couldn't find lasting happiness in worldly pursuits, what makes us think we can? If we're trying to find happiness in this world we will end up beating our heads against the wall. We will find ourselves at the back of the struggle bus bouncing all over the place.
The Bible tells us of a different way. In the Kingdom of God, there's a kind of joy that is so deep and soul-fulfilling that it makes the happiness of this world look like a cheap knockoff. It's a joy that is not connected to your circumstances or what you have or don't have (Philippians 4:4–7).
Are you interested in digging into this incredible, life-transforming Kingdom joy that is only found in a relationship with Jesus? If so, let's dig in and see what we can find.
Joy is Found in the Presence of God
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:11 (NLT)
True joy that fills your soul to the brim is only found in the presence of God. And take note that Psalm 16:11 says it is a joy that will last forever. That means there aren’t any worldly circumstances that can destroy this joy. This makes me think of the old hymn that says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.” The world is trying to convince you to step off the rock of Jesus and stand on the sinking sand of its false happiness.
Matthew 7:24–27 (CSB)
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
When we build our lives on the rock of Jesus and His Word, shifting our focus from trying to grab all the happiness we can out of this world, something profound happens (Matthew 6:33). Our joy is no longer contingent on whether we get the promotion, the house, the car, or even how good everything seems to be going in our lives. In Kingdom living, all our joy is sourced from the one thing that never moves or changes, and that is King Jesus.
The Source of True Joy
You must understand that Kingdom joy is not just something you can drum up on your own or get from someone else. It comes directly from the Holy Spirit. It is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. The interesting thing is that the Scriptures refer to joy as “fruit.” The implication here is that the Holy Spirit is not only the source of our joy, but also the agent that is producing joy in and through us. You must get this. Kingdom joy doesn’t come from an outside source. It comes from the Holy Spirit that is within you.
Here is another amazing truth concerning joy as a Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Because it's a Fruit of the Spirit, it grows over time, becoming richer and sweeter as you seek first the Kingdom of God. This is why even when all of life falls apart and you're facing severe trials, hardships, or even moments of doubt, you can still have this unshakable joy (James 1:2–4). How wonderful is that?
Are you ready to go deeper into this life-changing, soul-satisfying, joy-filled gift from the Holy Spirit? If you are, then get ready to experience a kind of joy that changes everything. It will totally alter your perspective, your attitude, and every aspect of your life—the Fruit of the Kingdom joy makes all of life sweeter. You can go deeper by building your life on the solid Rock of Christ Jesus. As you discover the joy of standing on Christ the Solid Rock, you will find that all other ground of worldly happiness is sinking sand.
“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand”