Discovering Enduring Joy in the Lenten Journey

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explore the profound concept of joy, particularly in the context of Lent. The journey through Lent is not just about sacrifice and reflection but also about discovering a deeper, more enduring joy. This joy is not the fleeting pleasure often associated with leisure activities like a cruise ship vacation, but a pervasive sense of well-being that comes from being in the presence of God's self-sacrificing love. Joy, in this sense, is a natural response to love and is deeply rooted in the experience of being fully alive and present.

Dallas Willard describes joy as an experience of delight in an encompassing good, a feeling that transcends mere pleasure. It is a state of being that remains even amidst suffering and loss, as it is anchored in the larger narrative of God's love and purpose. This joy is a fundamental aspect of our transformation into Christ's likeness and is expressed in the flow of our lives when we engage in meaningful tasks that align with our gifts and purpose.

The concept of ecstasy, derived from the Greek word "ekstasis," meaning to be taken out of oneself, is central to understanding this joy. It is about being drawn out of our self-centeredness and into a state of flow where we are fully engaged and alive. This is akin to the experience of a seed that must die to bring forth new life. In our spiritual journey, we are invited to enter into this ecstasy, to be fully present and deeply interested in the world around us.

As we begin each day, we are encouraged to approach it with a sense of renewal and purpose, much like the morning is a sacred time of new beginnings. We are called to walk with a spring in our step, to be deeply interested in life, and to lift up our hearts in gratitude. This is the essence of Lenten joy, a joy that is compatible with the realities of pain and suffering, yet rooted in the hope and promise of resurrection.

Key Takeaways:

- Joy in the Presence of Love: Joy is a natural response to the self-sacrificing love of God. It is a pervasive sense of well-being that transcends mere pleasure and is deeply rooted in the experience of being fully alive and present in God's love. [01:39]

- Ecstasy and Flow: The concept of ecstasy, or being drawn out of oneself, is central to experiencing true joy. It involves engaging in meaningful tasks that align with our gifts and purpose, leading to a state of flow where we are fully alive and present. [04:12]

- Transformation Through Joy: Joy is a fundamental aspect of our transformation into Christ's likeness. It is expressed in the flow of our lives and is a basic element of the inner transformation that leads to an outer life of purpose and meaning. [03:43]

- Morning as a Sacred Time: Each morning is a sacred time of renewal and new beginnings. We are encouraged to approach each day with a sense of purpose, gratitude, and a spring in our step, ready to engage with the world around us. [06:40]

- Lenten Joy and Suffering: Lenten joy is deeply compatible with the realities of pain and suffering. It is rooted in the larger narrative of God's love and purpose, offering hope and promise even in the midst of life's challenges. [10:42]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:36] - Invitation to Be Present
- [00:51] - Lenten Joy vs. Cruise Ship Joy
- [01:39] - Joy in the Presence of Love
- [02:11] - Joy vs. Pleasure
- [02:48] - The Power of Regret
- [03:16] - Joy Amidst Suffering
- [03:43] - Transformation Through Joy
- [04:12] - Understanding Ecstasy
- [04:28] - The Experience of Flow
- [05:13] - Spiritual Life and Ecstasy
- [06:00] - The Sacredness of Morning
- [07:24] - Walking with a Spring in Your Step
- [08:18] - Lift Up Your Hearts
- [09:59] - Being Deeply Interested in Life
- [10:42] - Lenten Joy and Suffering

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Lenten Joy

Bible Reading:

1. Hebrews 12:2 - "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
2. Psalm 19:5 - "It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course."
3. John 15:11 - "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the sermon describe the difference between "cruise ship joy" and "Lenten joy"? [01:14]
2. What does Dallas Willard mean by joy being a "pervasive sense of well-being"? [01:39]
3. How is the concept of "flow" related to experiencing joy, according to the sermon? [04:28]
4. What role does the morning play in the experience of joy and renewal, as discussed in the sermon? [06:40]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that joy is a natural response to God's self-sacrificing love? [01:39]
2. How does the concept of "ecstasy" help us understand the nature of true joy in the Christian life? [04:12]
3. How does the sermon connect the idea of joy with the process of transformation into Christ's likeness? [03:43]
4. What does it mean for joy to be "deeply compatible with pain and suffering," and how does this relate to the Lenten season? [10:42]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced joy in the midst of a challenging situation. How did that experience align with the sermon’s description of joy? [03:01]
2. The sermon encourages us to start each day with a sense of renewal and purpose. What specific morning routine could you implement to cultivate this mindset? [06:40]
3. Consider the concept of "flow" in your daily life. What activities or tasks make you feel fully alive and present, and how can you incorporate more of these into your routine? [04:28]
4. How can you practice being "deeply interested" in the world around you, as the sermon suggests? Identify one area of your life where you can be more engaged. [10:30]
5. The sermon mentions walking with a "spring in your step." What practical steps can you take to embody this attitude in your daily interactions? [07:24]
6. How can you lift up your heart in gratitude each day, even when facing difficulties? Share one thing you are grateful for today. [08:18]
7. Reflect on the idea of being "drawn out of oneself" through meaningful tasks. How can you align your daily activities with your gifts and purpose to experience this kind of joy? [04:12]

Devotional

Day 1: Joy as a Response to Divine Love
Joy is a profound sense of well-being that arises from experiencing God's self-sacrificing love. Unlike fleeting pleasures, this joy is deeply rooted in the presence of divine love, offering a sense of being fully alive and present. It is a natural response to love, transcending mere pleasure and anchoring us in a state of enduring contentment. This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but is a reflection of the inner transformation that occurs when one is immersed in God's love. [01:39]

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt deeply loved by God. How can you carry that sense of joy into your daily life, even amidst challenges?


Day 2: Ecstasy and the Experience of Flow
Ecstasy, derived from the Greek word "ekstasis," means being drawn out of oneself. This concept is central to experiencing true joy, as it involves engaging in meaningful tasks that align with one's gifts and purpose. When in a state of flow, individuals are fully alive and present, transcending self-centeredness. This experience is akin to a seed dying to bring forth new life, inviting individuals to be fully present and deeply interested in the world around them. [04:12]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a task or activity that makes you lose track of time and feel fully alive. How can you incorporate more of this into your daily routine to experience the joy of flow?


Day 3: Transformation Through Joy
Joy is a fundamental aspect of transformation into Christ's likeness. It is expressed in the flow of life and is a basic element of the inner transformation that leads to an outer life of purpose and meaning. This joy remains even amidst suffering and loss, as it is anchored in the larger narrative of God's love and purpose. It is through this joy that individuals are transformed, reflecting Christ's love and purpose in their lives. [03:43]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did you experience joy in the midst of it, and how did it contribute to your spiritual growth?


Day 4: Morning as a Sacred Time
Each morning is a sacred time of renewal and new beginnings. It is an opportunity to approach the day with a sense of purpose, gratitude, and a spring in one's step. This sacred time invites individuals to engage with the world around them, lifting up their hearts in gratitude and being deeply interested in life. By embracing the morning as a time of renewal, individuals can cultivate a sense of joy and purpose throughout the day. [06:40]

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: How can you create a morning routine that sets a positive tone for your day and helps you connect with God's presence and purpose?


Day 5: Lenten Joy and Suffering
Lenten joy is deeply compatible with the realities of pain and suffering. It is rooted in the larger narrative of God's love and purpose, offering hope and promise even in the midst of life's challenges. This joy is not an escape from suffering but a profound sense of well-being that coexists with it, anchored in the hope of resurrection and the promise of new life. [10:42]

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you find joy in the midst of your current struggles, trusting in God's greater purpose and the hope of resurrection?

Quotes


Joy is natural in the presence of such love. Joy is a pervasive sense, not just a thought but the experience of the sense of well-being, of overall and ultimate well-being, because being is good when we experience being in its fullness because it's good. Science can't tell us this; God can. [00:01:39]

Joy is a basic element of inner transformation into Christ's likeness and of the outer life that flows from it. Now let's pause for a moment on that little word flow. I mentioned that the word for today is ecstasy. That's actually a Bible word. It's from ancient Greek x stasis. [00:03:43]

Ecstasy is to be taken out of yourself. The psychologist Mihai Csikszentmihalyi, who just recently passed away, did decades of research on this notion of flow. That's the word that Dallas uses to describe the experience of joy. Flow is what we experience when we are doing something deeply meaningful to us. [00:04:12]

Flow is what we experience when we are doing something deeply meaningful to us, and the level of challenge is commensurate with the giftedness or the talent that we bring to it. We get so caught up in this task and this experience of exercising dominion that it's like time is altered. [00:04:28]

When we enter into the task of each day together with God, we are invited into ecstasy. The book that I'm reading through for the fourth time now is by a French writer. I am told his name is pronounced certainly Owens or something like that. I think I've mentioned this before. [00:05:13]

The morning is sacred. In the morning, the soul refreshed looks out on life as from a turning point from which we see it in one view. Our destiny lies outspread before us. Will not this person emerging renewed from the night and as it were reborn from the hours of unconsciousness? [00:06:40]

Walk with a springing step, live in ecstasy drawn outside of ourselves by that which is around us. He goes on waking must be a cerseum chorda. That's a Latin phrase that means lift up your hearts. This is from an ancient expression of prayer people would engage in. [00:07:24]

We give thanks to you, God, through your beloved son Jesus Christ, whom you sent to us in former times as savior, redeemer, and messenger of your will, who is your inseparable word, through whom you made all, and in whom you were well pleased. [00:08:18]

Be interested, be alive, come out of yourself, out of your mind, what you eat, what you read, especially the people that you talk to, especially be interested in God. That is Lenten joy, that is joy that is deeply compatible with pain and suffering in the world. [00:09:59]

Jesus said to his followers on the night when he was headed for the garden and crucifixion, I have spoken these things to you so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be full. Live in ecstasy, walk with a spring in your step today, be interested. [00:10:42]

Joy is a pervasive sense, not just a thought but the experience of the sense of well-being, of overall and ultimate well-being, because being is good when we experience being in its fullness because it's good. Science can't tell us this; God can. [00:01:39]

Flow is what we experience when we are doing something deeply meaningful to us, and the level of challenge is commensurate with the giftedness or the talent that we bring to it. We get so caught up in this task and this experience of exercising dominion that it's like time is altered. [00:04:28]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?