Week 1
Philippians 1:12–26, Luke 9:22-26
Joy and happiness aren’t the same thing at all. Happiness is fragile — it depends on what’s happening around us. Joy is something deeper, something that sits safely in the heart even when life is messy, painful, or downright unfair. And that’s exactly the kind of joy Paul talks about in Philippians.
Paul knew what it was to face hard times. From planting the church in Philippi — where he met Lydia, freed a slave girl, ended up in prison, and still managed to sing worship songs at midnight — to sitting in chains again as he writes this letter, his life had been one long rollercoaster. Yet he keeps talking about joy. Why? Because for Paul, joy wasn’t tied to comfortable circumstances but to a living, breathing, daily relationship with Jesus.
Paul’s past shows a pattern: wherever he went, there was chaos, opposition, suffering — but also a deep, unshakable sense of God’s presence. Even bruised and beaten, he sang. Even locked away, he rejoiced. Even when others were cruel, he responded with love. His joy didn’t come from his situation but from his Saviour.
Now, writing from prison again, Paul opens his heart. He doesn’t know whether he’ll live or die. Yet he shows this beautiful inner freedom: if he lives, he gets to serve Jesus. If he dies, he gets to be with Jesus. For him, either option is a win. That’s what joy rooted in Christ does — it changes your whole outlook on life and death.
And that future hope transforms his present. Paul knows Jesus loves him personally, completely, sacrificially. He knows that nothing can separate him from that love. And so he can say with total honesty: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Joy, real joy, is found in Christ — not because life gets easier, but because Jesus walks with us through everything. Circumstances may make us unhappy, but they can’t touch the joy he gives. We can be like Paul and Silas: even in the darkest places, we can sing. Because the final word over our lives isn’t hardship or fear — it’s Jesus. And he offers us a joy that lasts forever.
You can find a study guide for this session here
🌱 Three Reflection Points
Joy grows when Jesus becomes the focus, not our circumstances.
Paul didn’t minimise suffering — he just refused to let it define him.
Knowing Jesus personally changes how we see life, death, and everything in between.
The more real his love becomes to us, the more fearless we become.
True strength comes from Christ within us.
Our limits are real, but his presence in our weakness is even more real.
❓ Three Questions to Ponder
Where do I tend to look for happiness — and how might Jesus be inviting me into something deeper?
What would it look like for me to see my current circumstances through Paul’s lens of joy?
Do I believe, deep down, that Jesus loves me personally and unconditionally — and if not, what holds me back from trusting that?
🙏 Three Prayer Points
“Jesus, fill my heart with your joy — the kind that doesn’t depend on circumstances.”
“Holy Spirit, strengthen me where I feel weak, tired, or overwhelmed.”
“Father, help me to trust your love more deeply and walk through each day with confidence in you.”