Joy

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Joy – such a small word, such a big meaning. Joy is defined as ‘a feeling of great pleasure and happiness’, however, Biblical is joy is described as ‘choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction’ which we can do because of God. I really like the Biblical definition of joy, as it presents joy as a choice. That, regardless of your circumstances you can choose to respond with contentment, peace and hope. Apparently, joy is mentioned in the Bible about 430 times. God clearly wants us to experience joy, and the greatest joy comes from Him.

At this busy time of year, when we begin to celebrate the year that was and reflect back on all the things that have occurred, I feel a sense of joy. Personally, this is a year of significant change in my household. 3 out 4 of my children are transitioning from one phase to another: graduating from university, graduating from school, transitioning from Primary to Secondary. While it’s all a little overwhelming at times, it also comes with immense joy. To watch your children successfully accomplish each new phase is one of the greatest joys of parenting. It is in these moments when the external circumstances are somewhat challenging that I turn to God’s biblical promises and choose contentment and peace. Of course, because I am fully human, I am not perfect at choosing joy, I become stressed and overwhelmed and forget to hand my worries to God. Yet every time I finally do, I feel a sense of peace and contentment.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to step back into the classroom in a more fulltime capacity and I am reminded of the joy I receive from simply being with the students, watching them learn, seeing them accomplish their goals and watching their ‘joie de vivre’ an expression I grew to love while studying in Quebec. And as Christmas time draws near, I find myself thinking more about the concept of joy than I usually would. I must admit, I love Christmas. The lights, the trees, the songs, being with family; all of it. And then, of course, there is the message of Christmas itself, that God would choose to reveal himself as a baby, who would grow into a man who would spread the good news. It is a reminder that God’s plans are bigger than our circumstances, that He can work in and through those circumstances to still bring joy into our lives.

I would like to, therefore, take this opportunity, as the school year comes to a close, to encourage you to join in the celebrations; Faith Celebrates, the Christmas Carols, the celebrations of learning and all the other wonderful events that happen at this time of year. Take a moment to reflect on all that we have to celebrate, to be grateful for and to rest in the joy that God gives us.

Emma Brice
Deputy Head of Primary School