3-minute read

Finding Joy

I know that the Christian faith is one of joy, but I haven’t felt that joy for a while. This morning, however, Colossians 1:9-14 reminded me why we Christians have reason beyond reason to be joyful. It’s about realizing where we once were, where we are now, and where we are headed.

The passage ends with these words: “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (CSB, emphasis added). 

In the New Testament, forgiveness has to do with being pardoned or freed from guilt.1 ⁠In modern times, the word “guilt” is often associated with a feeling, as in “I feel guilty for sleeping in today.” The Bible, however, uses “guilt” as a status, as in “I am guilty of this crime.” This distinction between a mere feeling and a concrete status helps us see the significance of Paul placing “the forgiveness of sins” after the word “redemption” in verse 14. The word order explains the meaning of “redemption.” We can think of it like this: “…in whom we have redemption, namely the forgiveness of sins.”

This idea of redemption and forgiveness becomes even clearer when we read that we were enslaved in a “domain of darkness” before God transferred us to “the kingdom of his beloved Son.” The domain of darkness is Satan’s. This means that before God saved us, we belonged to Satan! 

So, then, we should have joy because we were in the status of guilt, but God freed us from that condition, pardoned us, and delivered us into his Kingdom. That is why we have joy. And that joy propels us to endure and have patience (v. 11), regardless of our circumstances. Yes, we have infinite joy to look forward to in heaven, but we also have joy right now for what God has already done for us in Christ. 

That is why we have joy. And that joy propels us to endure and have patience…regardless of our circumstances.

Application: Fill Your Tank

Passages like this one provide spiritual fuel. They remind us how much God loves us and the magnitude of what he has already done for us. We need to “fill up” on these truths now—before the difficult times come. Otherwise, we won’t have anything in our tanks to withstand those challenges. 

Imagine that you are stuck in an hours-long traffic jam. That is frustrating in and of itself. But now imagine that you run out of gas. Not only are you stuck in traffic, but you can’t even get out of it! Think of the difference it makes when you have a full tank, however. Although your circumstances remain the same (you’re still sitting in traffic), you know that because your tank is full, you will eventually get through it. 

When we are struggling, we need a full spiritual gas tank to draw upon. Read and meditate on passages like Colossians 1:9-14 to fill your tank with the joy, endurance, and patience necessary to endure those struggles.

Questions for Discussion and Further Study

  1. 1. In 1:9, Paul says that he is praying that the Colossians will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will “in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Verse 10 gives us the reason why Paul makes this request. According to that verse, what is the purpose of having knowledge, wisdom, and understanding? What implications does this have for the way that we live our lives?
  2. Paul also prays for spiritual power for the Colossians in verse 11. According to verses 11 and 12, what is the purpose of Christians having spiritual power? How does this differ from the way that many modern societies understand and desire power?


1 The New Testament was written in Greek. The Greek word for forgiveness (ἄφεσις, aphesis) has the sense of being freed from guilt or punishment (BDAG).