Fruit at Camp #2: Joy

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…
-Galatians 5:22-23

It’s all Greek to me…

Before we dive into the “meat” of today, we need to know what Paul means when he calls joy a Fruit of the Spirit. The Greek word we translate as joy is Chara. The word occurs more than fifty times in the Bible, such as when the shepherds saw the star announcing Jesus’ birth, when the man in Matthew 13 discovered a treasure in a field, and when the women rushed from the tomb after Jesus’ resurrection.

Joy is very different than happiness. Happy relies on circumstances, and is often temporary. Joy is more than that: it’s a state of being, it’s deep, and it has a purpose. We can be happy because we got a free cheeseburger – we can only experience joy by knowing God’s grand purpose for our lives.

Here’s how I’ve seen joy play out in recent weeks…

Chara at Camp.

There’s a song my church sings based on Nehemiah 8:10b, which goes something like, “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” We can find happiness in the great stuff at camp: the people, the skills, the food, the activities. But only God can provide joy.

I spent the last week as a camper (instead of being a volunteer). Throughout my camper week, I saw God’s joy in every interaction. I experienced joy during cabin time, meals, skills, activities, worship, devos, chapel, and so much more. This last week was saturated with the joy of the Lord.

The happiness camp brings is only fleeting, but God’s joy is something we can take with us day in and day out. Here are two areas where I especially felt God’s joy.

1. Worship & Chapel.

I felt God’s presence amid the chapel times. Our theme was Room at His Table. Naturally, the messages focused on Jesus and His personal invitation for us to dine at His table. I was reminded that no matter who we are or what we’ve done, God has a place reserved for us.

The worship was also powerful. The full-on band was great, but I also enjoyed having our youth pastor pull out a guitar and sing. You could feel the joy that only comes from the Lord in those moments. That (for me) is the magic of camp. It’s the ability to unplug (no phones allowed) so we can plug into Christ.

2. Skit Prep.

Each week our camp runs a Skit Blitz, where each cabin prepares a one-minute skit for the rest of camp. Our cabin’s prompt was “Jonah gets an Uber”, and we had a wild and awesome time brainstorming the craziest skit imaginable.

But what really stood out (apart from our cabin winning the contest) was the fellowship we experienced in our prep time. Together we suggested ideas, props, and quotes. The skit wouldn’t have worked if everyone hadn’t made their contribution.

As a cabin, we created something greater than the sum of its parts – which reminded me of the disciples. While their mission meant more than a silly skit night, they worked together to accomplish something that wouldn’t have happened on their own. We also united to make something for the entire camp’s enjoyment, and I felt God’s joy in it all.

God was at work at camp this week, and the joy of the Lord truly was our strength.

Chara in real life.

This past month I’ve started the day with a simple prayer: “Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit today.” When I welcome God’s Spirit into my life, I enable Him to do what He wills with my life. Plus I feel His joy.

It’s a simple yet effective prayer. Imagine you’re sitting inside and the blinds are drawn over your window. It’s easy to pull back those blinds and let sunlight in. Praying for God’s Spirit does the same – it opens the blinds of your heart and lets Him shine in. It involves a little action on your part (inviting Him in), yet it makes a world of difference.

If you want God’s everlasting joy this summer, join me in praying this simple prayer…

Lord, I invite your Holy Spirit into my life today. I give control to You; may Your will be done, not mine. Please direct me to follow in Your footsteps, so I may live as Christ would if He were me. In Your powerful name, amen.

To quote Philippians 4:4…

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. 
I say it again: rejoice!”