Mystic and theologian Howard Thurman (1899–1981) writes of faith as the most secure foundation for joy:
There are some who are dependent upon the mood of others for their happiness…. There are some whose joy is dependent upon circumstances…. There are some who must win their joy against high odds, squeeze it out of the arid ground of their living or wrest it from the stubborn sadness of circumstance…. There are still others who find their joy deep in the heart of their religious experience. It is not related to, dependent upon, or derived from, any circumstances or conditions in the midst of which they must live. It is a joy independent of all vicissitudes. There is a strange quality of awe in their joy, that is but a reflection of the deep calm water of the spirit out of which it comes. It is primarily a discovery of the soul, when God makes known [God’s] presence, where there are no words, no outward song, only the Divine Movement. This is the joy that the world cannot give. This is the joy that keeps watch against all the emissaries of sadness of mind and weariness of soul. This is the joy that comforts and is the companion, as we walk even through the valley of the shadow of death. [1]
Catholic priest Henri Nouwen (1932–1996) writes of the joy we experience through the love of God:
Joy is a gift that is there even when we are sorrowful, even when we are in pain, even when things are difficult in our lives. The joy that Jesus offers is a joy that exists in very, very difficult situations….
What we have to start sensing is that in the spiritual life, joy is embracing sorrow and happiness, pain and pleasure. It is deeper, fuller. It is more. It is something that remains with us. It is something of God that is very profound. It is something we can experience even when we are in touch with very painful things in our lives. If there is anything the church wants to teach us it is that the joy of God can be with us always—in moments of sickness, in moments of health, in moments of success, in moments of failure, in moments of birth, in moments of death. The joy of God is never going to leave us….
When we can face our own painful situation, we will discover that hidden in the pain is the treasure—a joy that is there for us to experience here and now. It is very important that we get in touch with this. That is what the spiritual life—the life with God—is about. It is being in touch with that love that becomes joy in us…. Underneath all our fluctuations is a deep solid divine stream that is called joy. [2]
References:
[1] Howard Thurman, Deep Is the Hunger: Meditations for Apostles of Sensitiveness (Friends United Press, 1978), 160–161.
[2] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety, ed. Gabrielle Earnshaw (Image, 2024), 102, 103, 104, 105.
Ya’ Wahyu, untitled (detail), 2024, photo, Unsplash. Click here to enlarge image. Two children splash in sun-warmed water: every droplet and ripple radiating joy.
Story from Our Community:
I am a priest by ordination, but I left active ministry 35 years ago. I met my partner 34 years ago, and we are a same-sex couple living in a committed relationship. I will be a priest forever, although I cannot officially serve as the minister of my church. Today, I am a spiritual reflectionist who shares daily on Facebook and another website. My pain and suffering from my past have taken a toll on my heart and soul. I know that Christ has forgiven me for leaving the ministry, but deep in my soul, there is a void from being able to serve officially. I remain still in Christ’s loving hands, waiting to be shaped and formed, and proclaim the good news however I can.
—Roberto J.
