Sometimes many of us postpone our happiness. We think that we can be happy only if we go on the next holiday or get that promotion or have a better relationship. But life is not meant to be lived waiting for the perfect moment or season. We need to learn to savour every moment and every season and enjoy life to the fullest! Happiness is dependent on the circumstances , on the "happenstance" of life but joy is for the now and every moment! C.S. Lewis said "Joy is the serious business of heaven" and let's get into that practice when we are here!King Solomon, the wise man understood this and this is why he writes the following in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes!
Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.
God renews our hearts and lives with joys of laughter! If we are one of those Christians who walk around always serious and not enjoying life, people may get turned off and have nothing to do with us! We of all people have so much to be thankful and joyful about - God has rescued us from darkness, redeemed us, saved us, continues to bless us, provides for us, loves us, shows His grace to us everyday, sustains us and has already prepared places for us to reign with him eternally in heaven!
Psalm 30:11-12 (NLT)
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
There are seasons of pain and loss and grief. How are we to live through the pain and yet be joyful? Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 6:10, he says he was "sorrowful, yet rejoicing". We can tap into the foundational ungirding joy that we have in Christ because of being His. Christ's redemption for us now and the hope we have of our future final redemption at Christ's second coming when we will be with Christ and there is no sorrow or tear should help us be joyful now. This joy that we have in Christ is more than enough to sustain us through the deepest sorrow that we can ever face. What do we do when we don't feel joyful? King David was sorrowful when he realised that he had commiitted adultery and murder and lost a child. He was at such a low point in his life that he felt devoid of joy. He asks God to restore the joy of his salvation. We can ask God to do that in us.
Psalm 51: 10 - 12
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and
renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Romans 12: 12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
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