Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message!
Something in that passage doesn’t seem quite right. The phrases “great trouble” and “great joy” are in the same sentence. Other translations say, “severe suffering” in place of “great trouble.” I don’t know about you, but when I think of severe suffering, I don’t feel very joyful about it.
The word “feel” is the key. We think of joy as a feeling. When we do that, though, we are confusing joy with happiness Happiness is what we feel or don’t feel, but joy can exist even when happiness is nowhere to be found.
The reason for this is that happiness, like any other emotion, comes and goes, usually without any action on our part. Joy, however, is an attitude that we can cultivate.
It helps to remember the source of joy.
The Joy of the Lord is His response to our gratitude. Even in the midst of our trials, we can still choose to feed the habit of being thankful for everything else that’s right in our lives. When we acknowledge God in these things, this happens:
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:7 (MSG)
So praying in this way doesn’t necessarily change our circumstances or make the bad stuff in our lives go away. What it does do is change our focus. It is empowering to know that we don’t have to be ruled by the negative feelings that bombard us from everything that’s wrong in the world. We can actually CHOOSE joy. Give a listen to this song, which illustrates this concept perfectly:
Sounds great. So how do we start?
Here are some methods that I have found helpful. (Author´s note: a portion of the following was previously published as Thanksgiving x 100 in the Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes Think Positive, Live Happy, and Your 10 Keys to Happiness.
One thing I have noticed that feeds depression in me more than anything else is an attitude of discontentment. I fall into the habit of comparing myself to others or even with my own perception of where I think I ought to be in life.
My church has found an antidote to this, which they break out every year at our Thanksgiving service. Included in the bulletin is a sheet with blanks numbered 1 to 100. At the top, it says, “Lord, I thank you for. . .” The first time I saw this at a Thanksgiving service, I wondered how I would ever be able to think of 100 things for which I was thankful.
Then I heard some kids next to me challenge each other to a race to see who could fill in all 100 the fastest. My competitive nature kicked in. I was not about to be shown up by a bunch of kids.
So I started filling in blanks with anything I could think of. Big things, little things, serious things, and silly ones. I tried to think of any situation in my life where I had ever said, “Thank God for. . .” Something. Anything.
In four minutes, to my own astonishment, I had completely filled in the list. I stuck it back in my bulletin and promptly forgot about it.
Thanksgiving x 100
One day not long after, I was feeling particularly sorry for myself, for no good reason. I found myself sinking into my typical emotional chasm, wondering what the point of living was, etc.
Then I remembered the list.
I took it out and read through it. As I read each entry on my list of 100 things for which to be thankful, I found myself thinking about each one. Obviously, I had filled it out in a rush. Now that I stopped to really think about it, my perspective began to change.
I started to realize not just that I had a lot to be thankful for, but that the things I had written on that list were what defined me as a person—my talents, my hobbies, my passions, the people who had the greatest impact on me, my faith, and so many more.
This list has been rewritten several times over the years. I carry it with me every day in my day planner. Wherever I am, if I am having a bad day, I can just pull out my list, circle the next number, and take a few minutes to thank God for that.
Yes and Amen
Another thing I have done is to keep a list in a file on my computer of everything I know to be true about God’s promises. I try to remember and record every answered prayer, every time when life has worked out in a way that goes far beyond coincidence, everything that can’t be explained in any other way other than “God showed up.”
This journal is my ultimate doubt buster. When I start to think that maybe God isn’t who He says He is, or that He’s not interested in my life, or maybe that He doesn’t even exist at all, I go back to that list. Then I am reminded that not only is God real, but He can be trusted.
When I look back at all the things He has delivered me from in my life, it reminds me that all of His promises yet to be fulfilled will be, and at exactly the right time. This fills the gas tank of my soul to the top.
That’s the Joy of the Lord.
What I find interesting is that this joy comes immediately after doubt. I don’t generally go to this list unless I am feeling desperate and showing the signs of faltering trust.
When I regain my perspective, though, I realize that God’s response to my laying my doubts about Him directly at His feet is not to turn me away in anger, but to fill me with great joy in His presence. Then I am ready to keep in step with Him for whatever is coming my way next.
It’s good to be around happy people, but it’s even better to be around joyful people. Someone who has the Joy of the Lord even in difficult circumstances is someone you are going to notice. You might find yourself thinking, “What’s wrong with that person? He should be miserable right now!”
A better question might be, “What’s RIGHT with that person?” What you are seeing is evidence of the Lord at work in the life of someone who has chosen joy.
(To be concluded in Part 4. Click the Free Newsletter Link so you don’t miss it!)
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