Joy for strength

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
From Nehemiah 8:10

I think it would be more obvious to say that your strength is your joy. It makes sense to me that our health, wealth, talents, relationships make us strong and bring us joy. But God’s advice to His grieving people is that joy from Him is their strength.

The people were weary from defeat and oppression. They were not about to trust in their personal strength and emotional resources. They had nothing. They needed strength, and God offers them His joy.

God’s joy is supernatural.

God’s joy doesn’t have to make sense.

God’s joy comes His way.

God’s joy can take us by surprise.

So how do we get this joy-strength that comes from God?

We seek Him.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7

We wait.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 41:29-31

It’s not an obvious transaction. It has something to do with letting go of what’s bothering us, and our own attempts to make things better. It involves trusting Him.

And it comes. The joy comes. Not from our reason or resources. But from Him.

Let it come.