Joy that Lasts

Somewhere today, a husband is watching a Hallmark movie against his will. I know this because today happens to be our 35th anniversary, and I’ve learned the pattern.

Stage one is mockery. Small-town shop owner meets big-city executive. You are asked to leave the room.

Stage two is pretending to be interested.

Stage three is being allowed to fall asleep.

Stage four is permission to watch something else in another room.

In the Hallmark world, everything always ends with a smile. But real life does not play by Hallmark rules.

For many people, Christmas is complicated. It can remind us of someone who is missing, either because of death or disagreement. Laughter fades, January arrives, the lights come down, and the credit card bill shows up. And for a lot of people, the joy doesn’t last.

That’s why Advent matters. It reminds us that real joy is not something you buy, earn, or stumble into.

Lasting joy comes from knowing you are God’s child.

When Joy Is Missed

John’s Gospel tells the Christmas story differently. Instead of shepherds and angels, John gives us a moment of heartbreak.

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” John 1:11

Jesus came into the very world he created. To the very people who had been waiting for him. And they missed him.

Why?

They expected a political leader, not a suffering Savior. They wanted someone to overthrow Rome, not someone to confront sin. Jesus didn’t fit the picture of the Messiah they had imagined.

The extraordinary God showed up in an ordinary package. A carpenter from Nazareth. And many people were too busy with everyday life to recognize him.

It’s easy to shake our heads at that. But how often do we do the same thing? Jesus doesn’t meet our expectations, or we get so busy that there’s no room in our lives for him.

The Word That Changes Everything

Then John gives us one of the most hope-filled words in all of Scripture: “Yet.”

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12

That word changes everything. Despite rejection, the door is still open.

The invitation is for all. Not just the religious elite. Not just the people with perfect résumés. Anyone who receives Jesus is welcomed.

To receive him means more than acknowledging he existed. It means welcoming him, trusting him, and surrendering your life to him. It’s like opening the door and saying, “Jesus, come in. Not just into my house, but into my heart, my plans, and my future.”

And when we do, something remarkable happens. We are not just forgiven. We are adopted.

John says believing in Jesus gives us the right to become children of God. Not guests. Not visitors. Family.

Guests come and go. Family belongs.

You don’t earn your place at God’s table. Jesus secured it for you.

Joy That Cannot Be Taken

John goes on to say that this new identity does not come from human effort or performance.

“Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:13

Your joy is not based on what is happening to you. It is based on what is true about you.

You are God’s child.

That is why joy can last even when circumstances are hard. Happiness depends on what’s happening. Joy depends on what’s eternal.

If you haven’t committed your life to Jesus, maybe you’ve been chasing happiness and coming up empty. What if the joy you are looking for isn’t out there somewhere? What if it’s found in the One who has been looking for you all along?

And if life has been heavy and you wonder if something is wrong with your faith, remember this. Joy is not a mood. It is a relationship. When you know who you belong to, you can face anything.

Let the truth that you are a child of God become the soundtrack of your soul.

Because lasting joy does not fade with the season. It lasts.