Choose Joy!

Joy is true contentment that comes from inward faith. 

Pamela J. Kuhn

I love yellow. It reminds me of the sun’s warmth. It’s the color of smiles and sunflowers. It’s the color of lemons and #2 school pencils. It’s the color of ducks and the stars that twinkle in the night sky. (It’s also the color of bananas – shudder!) It’s the color of crocuses I’ve seen poking their heads out of the ground and the eggs RB prepares for me Every. Single. Day. It’s Crayola’s retired shades of Lemon Yellow and Lemonade and the 1972 shade of neon Lemon Laser.

I love yellow. So when I saw a shelf at Barnes and Noble holding a row of yellow books it made my heart smile. As I began looking at the titles, my smile faded. “Happier at Home, Healthy is the New Happy, The Happiness Project, Happier,” and on and on. Not one book about joy.

Happiness is temporary -- dependent on an experience or acquiring a possession. The Bible uses this word about thirty times. Joy is true contentment that comes from inward faith. It is Jesus, the source of all joy, who gives us joy. It’s possible to feel joy even in the hard places of our life. I’m sure Paul was not happy to be incarcerated in Rome, yet he used joy, rejoice, joyful over and over when he wrote to the Philippian church.

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now (Philippians 1:4-5).

The message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice (Philippians 1:18).

I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy (Philippians 2:1-18).

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice (Philippians 4:4).

I’m happy because RB is whisking me away tonight for an overnight get-away. I’m happy because our family will be together for Easter. But I’m joyful because of God’s love that led Him to give His Son. I’m joyful because Jesus said, “Not my will, but Thine.” I’m joyful because the veil of the temple was torn in two. I’m joyful because Jesus arose from the dead and I have a relationship with the living Christ.

Happy because Jesus suffered and died? No, but joyful that He lives within my heart!