I was writing about another topic on this cool and rainy Monday but I guess God isn’t ready for me to share it yet. I was probably halfway, maybe more, through the first draft and completely lost it. Someone a little more tech savvy than I am might have been able to retrieve it, but I was unsuccessful. My previous experiences of losing large pieces of my writing said get up and walk away.
I went to go fold some clothes and, well, exhale. It dawned on me then that God hadn’t actually told me to write that yet. You guys can think I’m crazy if you want to, but I’m certain God is telling me not just to write these but what to say. With this fresh realization, I stood there folding laundry and asked Him, “Well, what do you want me to write about today?” As soon as those words were out of my mouth (yes, I asked Him out loud), I had an overwhelming thought of one simple word – joy.
So, friends, I don’t know who needs to read this today, maybe it’s me, but let’s talk about joy. I don’t mean happiness, that’s something altogether different and not to be confused with joy. Let’s face it, though we desperately need the rain, happiness is not exactly what I’m feeling on this gloomy looking day in which I’ve just wasted a good amount of time writing something now lost.
Joy is deeper, and it’s a choice. Sometimes a difficult one. I dare say that more of us than normal are taking some joy in the rain we’ve had yesterday and today simply because it’s been so long since we’ve had any. Under regular circumstances some of us might choose to complain about a rainy Monday. But that’s just the thing. It’s in these moments when we are more inclined to complain, feel frustrated or perhaps even cry, that we need to choose joy. Please know, that I’m not good at doing this all the time either.
Most mornings after I do my regular walk, I also do some push-ups and sit-ups. I keep a sign that says “Choose Joy” in my line of vision for when I’m doing the sit-ups. The sit-ups are the end of daily exercise routine and joy is not usually what I’m feeling at that moment. Some days when I’m counting my sit-ups I count like this, “1 choose joy, 2 choose joy.” You get the idea. When you focus on it enough, it starts to click.
I’m not so sure that God doesn’t sometimes leave us in the hard places until we find the joy in them. James 1: 2-3 (I’m paraphrasing) tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials because it tests our faith and produces perseverance. Life requires a lot of perseverance. Most of the good stuff does. I don’t think God leaves us there because He wants us to suffer, I believe it’s because it’s the only way to ultimately get us where He needs us to be.
Like anything we want to be good, or at least better, at, we have to practice this. I’m definitely better at choosing joy than I used to be. We can choose it because we know that God is faithful. We know he delivers on His promises. We know that He is in control. We know His will is best for us.
Because I know these things, I can choose joy when it doesn’t make sense. I can choose joy when I’m beyond tired. I can choose joy when I lose something valuable. I can choose joy when the skies are gray. I can choose joy regardless of the circumstances I’m in today because I know Jesus.
A tree doesn’t produce fruit without being planted as a seed and going through growing pains. The joy is not in the current circumstance but in the hope of the final outcome. It’s in the knowledge that He is making us complete, so that when our race is finished we can be with Him. Choose joy friends, and keep choosing it.
