Is being joyful difficult for you? It has been for me, until
I began to realize and internalize that happiness and joy are not the same
thing. Happiness has to do with circumstances or what’s going on. Joy is the
internal knowledge by faith that God is in it with you. He is your joy, so you
can respond to tough days like the Apostle Paul from prison. “Rejoice
in the Lord always. I will say again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Here is Paul heading toward
execution and rejoicing. This is crazy from a worldly perspective, but from a
faith-filled and eternal perspective it is central. We can rejoice because God
is in it with us. Psalm 22:3 says, “God is in (inhabits) the praises of His
people.” James puts is another
way saying, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). So
keep rejoicing, it is a choice.
For several years I have been choosing a “word of the year”
or trait on which to concentrate. Chosen characteristics have been faithfulness,
kindness, and gentleness for 2016. I am choosing “Joy” for 2017. Not that I
have already succeeded in it as Paul said in Philippians, “Not that I have already attained
all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of
that for which Christ took hold of me” (Philippians 3:15). No, I have not been
perfected in these things. In fact, concentrating on them has reminded me how
far I still have to go. I could keep on choosing the same word forever, but I
will keep working on them all in the New Year. The “Fruit of the Spirit”
referenced in Galatians 5:22 speaks of certain characteristics of God like joy,
faithfulness, kindness and gentleness that are one fruit we should be
developing more and more together with God’s help. They are not attainable
without the Holy Spirit’s counseling, convincing, comforting and convicting.
This is not easy, but comes slowly through trials, temptations, victories and
defeats. As Paul says, “Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all. The
Lord is near. Do not be anxious for anything but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God
that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7). What
a wonderful promise to take in. Rejoice and be thankful in prayer, not worrying
about anything in life, and His peace will be your guard. This is difficult,
for it seems that humans are an anxious lot. But elsewhere in Scripture Moses
says, “For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all
the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete” (Deuteronomy 16:15). Nehemiah tells the
Israelites after rebuilding the broken wall of Jerusalem, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to
those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10).
Philippians
is known as the “Joy letter” as Paul mentions joy 27 times saying, “Therefore
if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort
from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the
same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2). Complete joy is a state of mind and heart
that is content in the Lord, at peace.
It is
the Christmas Season as I write this essay. Joy
to The World, a wonderful Christmas Carol reminds us “the Lord has
come.” Yes, Jesus has come to earth to live
and die for us that that those who believe in Him might have eternal life and
rejoice in it. Have you received your King as “the indescribable gift,” or are
you still stuck in trying to make yourself happy? The world does not get it. Jesus
told the disciples, ‘So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and
you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John
16:22). Make your joy complete, choose
Jesus as Savior and Lord and rejoice! Have you chosen a word for the New Year?
“This is the day the
Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).