The Choice to Rejoice
How do you define joy?
Sometimes, joy feels impossible due to the uncertainty we live in. Statistically, 1 in 4 adults report symptoms of anxiety and depression. But the good news is that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that does not rely on our circumstances!
Consider the story of Corrie Ten Boom. She was imprisoned with her sister in a Nazi camp for the crime of secretly harboring Jews. Despite seeing the horrors of the Holocaust every day, she determined that she would not allow what was going on around her to shape her perspective. She later wrote, "Joy runs deeper than despair."
Another person who found joy despite their circumstances is the author of Philippians, the apostle Paul. Paul was not writing this verse based on his feelings during a moment of peace and security. He wrote to the church in Philippi while under arrest in Rome. Many scholars believe he was under the imminent threat of death. In the midst of this, he said:
"Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again, I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 (AMP)
Despite his impending death, Paul frames joy not as a fleeting feeling but as a conscious and, at times, counterintuitive choice. While he would have had every right to refuse visitors and spend his time mourning his lost freedom and future, Paul wrote to churches to encourage them, received visitors gladly, and continued to boldly share the gospel with anyone who would speak to him. His joy served as a witness of God's continual goodness, regardless of our personal circumstances.
What Paul did was against human nature! For humans, whatever we are experiencing is our reality.
Pastor Bill Johnson says, "Faith is not denying reality; it is denying reality a place of influence." Rejoicing means choosing joy out of the reality of God's goodness over whatever feelings come out of the reality of circumstance.
You can walk on water when the storm comes because you're denying the feelings that try to move you out of your sonship and perception of God's goodness.
Consider an oasis in the middle of the desert. While everything around the oasis, as far as your eye can see, is dry, the oasis is full of life! How can an oasis exist? Life in the oasis is not formed by what is around it but by what is beneath it! Every oasis has a low-lying water source beneath it, which creates springs and a source for roots to draw from.
When you choose to rejoice, you choose to remain rooted in God's goodness regardless of what is around you.
In Nehemiah 8, you can read about the people of Israel hearing the Law for the first time after many years of exile.
“Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those with nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'" Nehemiah 8:8-10(NIV)
While they had a right to grieve their sins and the sins of their ancestors, Nehemiah was clear that there was joy in knowing what was right and in understanding God's goodness in restoring and forgiving!
Like Israel, we can experience the joy of the Lord when we wake up every day like it's day one of being God's child.
“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2-3
Do you remember the day you first made Jesus the Lord of your life? Do you remember the joy when your sins were forgiven? That perspective causes us to draw strength because we are acknowledging God as our source!
The choice to rejoice begins with the choice to determine where you draw your strength from. Whether you are facing a serious challenge or just having a bad day, you can choose to put your faith and trust in who God is and draw your strength from Him.