I have been very impacted by questions in questions in the Bible. Here are some of my favorites:

• What are you doing here? (1 Kings 19:13)
• Who told you that? (Genesis 3:11)
• Can these bones live? (Ezekiel 37:3)
• Do you want to be made well? (John 5:6)
• What do you have? (2 Kings 4:2)

With these questions, God is not primarily wanting information, but He is setting the listener up for life-changing revelation. 

In addition to the questions above, there are other questions God regularly asks me:

• What do you need to believe to have hope in this area?
• How much greatness is in the people in your life?
• Who do you think you are?
• Why are you not radically joyful now?

It is this last one, “Steve, Why Are You Not Radically Joyful Now?” that is impacting me now. I believe, as we dig deep into our answers, we will be set up for massive growth for our lives. 

It is clear from Scripture that God wants us to experience more than just a little joy. This is illustrated by the types of adjectives used describing joy. Here are a few examples of this: 

• In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)
• Good tidings of great joy . . . for all the people (Luke 2:10)
• May the God of hope fill you with all joy (Romans 15:13)
• Consider it pure joy when you fall into various trials (James 1:2)
• These things I say to you so that your joy might be full (John 15:11; 1 John 1:14)
• Joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)

I have found few times in my life where it is convenient to walk in this kind of joy. There always seems to be a reason to delay it. Some of these reasons are:

• Unworthiness – I don’t feel I deserve to walk in joy
• Perfectionism – I have to wait until things are perfect to be joyful
• Non-eternity minded – focused too much on the temporal rather than the eternal
• Destination disease – I am waiting for prayers to be answered to have joy
• Concerning relationships – people I love are off course in their lives
• Societal issues – I have concerns about the direction of my country, etc.
• Fear of letting go of guilt – I am afraid if I become joyful I will stop working on important things I want to see changed in me
• Judgements – I disapprove of what the people around me are doing, and I don’t want them to think they are ok
• Passivity – I just let life happen to me rather than walking in intentionality and passion
• Fear of getting my hopes up again – I don’t want to experience disappointment again
• Ungratefulness – I am focusing on what I seemingly don’t have rather than on what I do have
• Negative comparison – I see my faults more than my strengths
• Victim mindset – believing someone else is responsible for my joy
• Bad theology – believing God is not joyful

These are some of the main root reasons (the “why”) for my not possessing radical joy. As I face reasons like this, I am setting myself up for massive growth, and I will discover why joy is one-third of the kingdom (Romans 15:17). The kingdom will abundantly grow in me and through me as I receive God’s grace and truth for the belief systems blocking radical joy. 

Years ago, I sensed the Lord say to me, “Steve, if you are not joyful now, the chances of you being joyful in the future are slim. Your lack of joy is not a circumstantial issue, but it is a YOU issue.” At first, I did not like this answer and I thought, “Well, thanks, Lord. It always seems to come back to me. You are always trying to tell me how powerful I really am.” I eventually understood what He was saying and started pursuing joy. It has been a surprising component of my spiritual growth plan. 

I realize there are times where we will mourn or grieve. I do not want to imply we should not experience emotions like those, but we cannot make it a life-style as God’s joy truly is our strength.

“Why are you not radically joyful now?” This question has been so good for me, and I believe it will catapult you too into maturity and in great joy and freedom.