Joy is underrated. Most of us think that joy is sort of like the cherry on top of a decadent ice cream sundae that we could do without if needed. It is treated as a luxury instead of a necessity. And the result of this lack of value that we place on joy is many of us living in depression and apathy. Depression is running rampant. Joyless Christianity is not Christianity. Christianity without joy becomes some vacant moral code of excellence that people must strive to achieve in order to receive some token of God's love and blessing. It is anathema to the gospel. It is contrary to life in the New Covenant. But for many, it has become normal. Marching through life with no smile. No warmth of affection or care for fellow man. This doesn't have to be the case.
So if we are not experiencing this joy, what is the problem? Who or what is stealing our joy? If those things should be producing joy in our lives, and they are not, what's wrong? Something must be taking our attention away from all of this glory! What is that something...? I believe that "something" is what the Scriptures call a "sin conscience". A conscience that is defiled by sin is a conscience that is more aware of its own weakness, sin and failure than it is the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. Our consciousness of God and his abiding presence is directly affected by the cleanness of our conscience. Our conscience is not the Holy Spirit, but I do believe our conscience can perceive the Holy Spirit. And the quickest way to deaden our senses to God's spirit and his presence is to allow our conscience to be dominated by an awareness of sin. This awareness of sin is not the same as an acknowledgement and confession of sins.
Hebrews 10:1-4
"For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered each year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."