Choose Joy . . . #2

Choose Joy . . . #2

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"The most spiritual activity you will ever engage in is to choose."1

That from one of my favorite thinkers of the day, Erwin McManus of Mosaic, Los Angeles. The most spiritual activity you will ever engage in is to choose. I love that . . . it grabs me, screams to me and compels me.

The power of choice was conceived of by our Creator; from Adam's first day, choice has been linked to man's freedom. Choice . . . freedom, hmmm. Consider this - "If we are interested in maximizing the welfare of our citizens, then the way to do that is to maximize individual freedom. The reason for this is both that freedom is, in and of itself, good, valuable, worthwhile, essential to being human, and because if people have freedom, then each of us can act on our own to do the things that will maximize our welfare, and no one has to decide on our behalf. The way to maximize freedom is to maximize choice."2 Freedom . . . choice. Good. Right.

God gave us the freedom from the start, and how great it is that we have so much power of choice - to be present, to do good, to create, to experience, to grow! These only come about when we choose positive attitudes and dispositions toward life in general, and in particular, each day. So how powerful a notion it is then that we might choose joy!

Wait a second, is there a difference between happiness and joy? Happiness tends to depend more on external goings-on, on circumstances. Since these are always changing, happiness has the potential to elude us, sorta' like the bubble that we reach up to grab, only to find it popping in our hand. Joy is just not that flimsy. Happiness is fleeting, while joy is lasting. Ponder that for a moment.

There are a few things I know about joy:
Joy is not about personality or temperament. 
Hello? That should be a stopper for those who already crossed joy off their possibility list, since they are serious people, not given to frivolity. Joy is not about temperament or your personality.

Joy must be experienced in the moment, which is why the psalmist said,"This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118.24 Much as I have wished, much as I have wanted, can't save joy to experience it on the morrow.

Joy is not dependent on circumstances, which is why Paul could rejoice even while in a cruel Roman prison; it was the reason he expressed, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances ..." Philippians 4.11 Are you kidding me? This is huge! No matter what is happening in our lives, we can maintain our joy. Amazing.

Joy seems to be inextricably tied to hope. Without hope, 
there is no joy.

Joy is linked with the heart of God - yea, it comes from the heart of God, because at the heart of God, are all things good. 
At the heart of God is only good!

For some, that is hard to swallow because religious or judgmental Christians have painted God as harsh, austere, far-off, possibly vindictive, or a cosmic killjoy-when he is none of those.

Hmmm . . . Isn't it interesting that there is only one time of year when joy is splashed on signage, cards, neon and ads? Christmas. If only we could apprehend the angelic message given to the shepherds that night in Bethlehem for ourselves . . . if only we could read the following words as for the first time: 'I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day... a Savior!'

Hmmm . . . joy linked with Jesus from his first days on earth? Yes, Jesus, God's idea of redemption for his beloved creation, is the source of joy for all people. And do not miss this truth: joy is meant for all people.
Again I say, 'hmmm' . . . because this joy thing, and particularly, that joy is a choice takes some thinking. Note, my beloved Paul said 'I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances...' Learned ~ contentment, joy.

Joy is a decision of the will first, before it is a felt thing. So let's do this - let's do what Paul said and 'rejoice in the Lord always' - that no matter what is happening, we will choose to thank God as a dint of our will. And stay tuned ... as we will continue our pursuit of choosing joy. Thankfulness, joy? Yes, they are linked.

Christine!

PastorWoman.com

1- The Last Arrow, Erwin Raphael McManus
2 - Barry Schwartz, Ted talk and book by the same name,The Paradox of Choice
3 - Luke 2.10b-11