Today’s devotion on the theme of Barriers to Joy is by Max Lucado.

Contingent contentment turns us into wounded, worried people. Paul advances a healthier strategy. He learned to be content with what he had. Which is remarkable since he had so little. He had a jail cell instead of a house. He had four walls instead of the mission field. He had chains instead of jewelry, a guard instead of a wife. How could he be content?

Simple. He focused on a different list. He had eternal life. He had the love of God. He had forgiveness of sins. He had the surety of salvation. He had Christ, and Christ was enough. What he had in Christ was far greater than what he didn’t have in life.

Here is an interesting detail about his letter to the Philippians. Within its 104 verses Paul mentioned Jesus forty times. At an average of every 2.5 verses, Paul was talking about Christ. Riches did not attract him. Applause did not matter to him. The grave did not intimidate him. All he wanted was more of Christ. As a result, he was content. In Jesus, Paul found all the satisfaction his heart desired.

You and I can learn the same. Christ-based contentment turns us into strong people. Since no one can take our Christ, no one can take our joy.

Can failure take our joy? No, Jesus is greater than our sin.
Can betrayal take our joy? No, Jesus will never leave us.
Can sickness take our joy? No, God has promised, whether on this side of the grave or the other, to heal us.
Can disappointment take our joy? No, because even though our plans may not work out, we know God’s plan will.

Failure, betrayal, sickness, disappointment—they cannot take our joy, because they cannot take our Jesus. This bears repeating: What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have in life.