“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” James 1:2
April 12, 2023
An oxymoron (not an ox that is stupid) “is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word in a phrase that is a self-contradiction.” It would be like saying a wise fool or cruel kindness. Does joyful sadness constitute such a contradiction? Yes and no. Within the bounds of biblical theology, it is possible to be joyful in the midst of our sadness. The apostle James tells believers to have a disposition of joy even when you are going through legitimate sadness such as grief over a loss, times of pain and suffering, awareness of moral darkness existing around us, dealing with severe opposition when standing firm in the faith while facing ridicule and mockery. Spirit-produced joy is abiding satisfaction in the sovereignty of God over all circumstances. This must not be confused with the popular use of the term “happiness” which is conditional emotionalism. What we might call ordered sadness is compatible with joy. Loss of a good thing is real, not a delusion or hallucination. We will have certain physiological responses that can alter our moods. We don’t have to say “woop goodie” I am miserable. That is an oxymoron. Are you enduring in obedience to God through your trials? Are you asking God for wisdom in how to sort things out? This is God-centered discernment. There is such a thing as disordered sadness. That’s for another time. Joy makes possible our endurance, doing the next thing in the right way, God’s way.
H
“God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That’s what it means to live by faith.” Warren Wiersbe