Paul wrote this: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4 NIV). Maybe you’re thinking, ‘Easy for Paul to say, he doesn’t have my problems.’ And you’d be right. He had a whole heap of his own. When he wrote those words he was in prison with no chance of getting out, and so in that place, joy was a decision, not a reaction to circumstances. Had to be. Joy isn’t repeating mantras to make yourself feel better in the face of horrible things. It’s not making yourself feel good by being more mindful of what’s around you. It’s knowing the truth about a deeper reality – that you carry the presence of God, that God’s always working for your good – and every day searching out more and more about what that means. When you put all your hope in that, it’s just a natural consequence that it’ll spill over into joy. Even in (maybe especially in) horrible circumstances.
Generally speaking, there are three kinds of people who’ll react to your joy: 1) Those who feel bad about feeling good. They believe we’re not supposed to be happy, just ‘responsible.’ 2) Those who grump on your parade because your joy bothers them. Often these folk have been hurt by life and anger simmers just beneath the surface. 3) Those who lift your spirit and breathe life into you.
What Now?
Joy’s so much easier to grasp when you see it modelled in another life. If you’re struggling to find joy in your own, even when you’re trying to find it Paul’s way, choose a joyful person at your church and shadow them for a bit.
