By Jerrica K Ching

Upon learning that this month’s theme is joy, I immediately knew that I wanted to reflect and write about joy in the presence of interactions that we have with others.  Whether it is in the exuberant celebration of a birth, a wedding, or a life, or the quieter enjoyment of being in companionship with others, joy is most present when we are surrounded by those we care about. 

Something that I also realized though, is the joy that can occur within oneself when we witness joy in others.  For the majority of us who write here on AAWOL, we are in the helping profession, serving community, congregation, or a collective of some sort.  As a mental health therapist there are many pivotal moments that I am present for in my clients’ lives; they come to new insight or realization, and gleefully share with me how this has helped them view their past, present, or their future in a brand new way.  Although clients may be thanking me for helping them, the feeling that I experience isn’t pride in my work, but rather a joy to witness someone who had previously been struggling, being at peace or acceptance with whatever revelation they arrived at. 

It is important to note that joy does not equate happiness.  I have witnessed clients experiencing joy as they are able to recognize how traumatic experiences that were once plaguing their everyday lives are no longer interfering with the same intensity.  I have witnessed clients experiencing joy as they say they have ended a ten-year relationship or partnership, because they realized they were not truly themselves.  I have witnessed clients experiencing joy even as they tearfully recall memories of a loved one who left this world unexpectedly and realizing what a kind person they had been.  Joy does not always mean we are happy, but joy can be present alongside heartache, sadness, and pain.

It was not through any expertise or direct guidance from me that clients reached this conclusion, but rather through gentle encouragement.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) reminds us, “therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”  From this verse, I believe that it is through an encouraging presence that we can experience joy, when we witness it in others. 

For so many of my sisters who contribute their reflections to AAWOL, I know that you all must know the same feeling that I have!  That feeling when you see others experiencing joy – even if the joy arrives after darker times – is contagious and we cannot help but feel joyful as well.  We are those who receive joy from serving and it is the gift that God continues to provide in endless supply.  Whether it is during positive feelings that we love to talk about, or negative ones that we tend to turn away from, we know that God is always supplying us with joy in our lives.

Joy is the sense of encouragement we experience while also feeling the full force of other emotions alongside it.  It is a reminder that a difficult situation will conclude at some point in time, and we will have a new way of viewing, accepting, and working through a situation.  May whatever you are currently experiencing – whether it is a celebration or a trial – be filled with joy from God, and may it spread from you to others around you.

Jerrica KF Ching grew up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and currently lives in the beautiful state of Washington, working as a licensed mental health counselor and Asian/Pacific Islander mental health specialist, working with children, teens, and adults within the AAPI community. She graduated with an MA in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling from George Fox University, where she is now an adjunct professor and supervisor. Her research on racial colorblindness has been published in The International Journal of Social Science Studies.