Joy Inspired by the Holy Spirit

Scripture — 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 (NRSV)

For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

Devotion

In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, we saw that joy is one aspect or “flavor” of the fruit of the Spirit. When we put our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us (Rom 8:9). The Spirit not only empowers us for ministry (1 Cor 12-14) but also causes spiritual fruit to grow in us: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). Thus, joy, the second “flavor” of fruit, comes by way of the Holy Spirit.

We see a striking example of Spirit-inspired joy in the first chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. In the introduction to this letter, Paul mentions with gratitude the fact that the Thessalonians received the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ “in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1:5).

But that’s not all that happened when Paul preached in Thessalonica. He continues his description: “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1:6-7). The persecution to which Paul refers was not the kind of Roman state-sponsored persecution that came later in the first century A.D. and beyond. Rather, it was something more spontaneous and local. The Thessalonians who put their faith in Jesus had done something that their pagan associates would have considered both unwise and unneighborly. The new Christians experienced thlipsis (1:6), translated as “persecution” in the NRSV. A better translation might be “suffering” (NIV, CEB) or “affliction” (ESV). What they suffered was most likely social ostracism and relational rejection. Today, we might say that the friends, neighbors, business associates, and relatives of the Thessalonian Christians “canceled” them.

I expect this must have been difficult for the new believers in Thessalonica. Perhaps they experienced moments of sadness, loss, fear, and rejection. But that’s not all they experienced. Notice what Paul actually writes in his letter, “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit” (1:6). There it is. Joy inspired by the Holy Spirit! The Greek original reads more literally, “you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”

Joy of the Holy Spirit amid affliction. Joy in suffering. These are themes found repeatedly in Scripture. That we would feel joy in response to God’s good gifts is delightful but not particularly surprising. But how is joy possible in the face of difficulties, disappointments, and distress? It’s possible because the source of joy isn’t some kind of obvious goodness but rather the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit.

Notice that this Spirit-inspired joy wasn’t only for the benefit of the Thessalonian believers. It also helped the Thessalonians to become “an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1:7). When Christians in other regions heard what God did in Thessalonica, they were encouraged. No doubt they also felt joy and expressed their joy by giving thanks and praise to God.

Notice one more thing about this instance of Thessalonian joy. Yes, it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. But the context of this inspiration is significant. Paul writes, “In spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit.” Their joy came in response to “the word,” which is Paul’s way of referring to the preaching of the gospel. When folks in Thessalonica heard the good news of God’s saving grace through Christ, they “turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God” (1:10). As they did, they experienced heavenly joy.

The Holy Spirit still inspires joy today. This happens in different ways, places, and situations. For example, divinely-inspired joy can well up inside of me in corporate worship. I’ll be singing some familiar song or hymn when, suddenly, the truth of a line touches my heart. These might be words I’ve sung a hundred times before, but, in a moment, the Spirit fills my heart with their truth, which leads to joy.

The Spirit of God is sovereign. We can’t somehow make the Spirit fill us with joy. But there are things we can do to be open, ready, and available for an infusion of divine joy. In future devotions, we’ll examine several biblical passages that will help us to receive and celebrate the gift of Spirit-inspired joy.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Working Faith, Finishing Up, and Keeping the Faith (1 Thess. 1:1–4:8; 4:13–5:28; 2 Thess. 1:1-2:17).