Introduction
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9
So that seems like an awful lot of verses for today’s Bible passage, but I had to bring you the entire context to talk about that “joy unspeakable” that we have an opportunity to choose every day. Because as believers we have a blessed hope that should encourage us to choose joy.
Good Days and Bad
Okay, I agree, some days are harder than others, and quite frankly I have had my share of days when it was very hard to choose joy. These are those days when I wallow in the unhappiness of a life circumstance. It might be a consequence of a poor decision, or another day without sunshine, or feeling the effect of my aging body, or even grief from the loss of a loved one.
With everything going on in this world, how do I choose joy? Just like Peter says up there in verse 7 – by focusing on the appearing of Jesus Christ. I know when I see Him; I will not have to choose anything. The Bible says that believers will enjoy a new heaven because the first heaven and earth will pass away and “… God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4). The cares of this world will be gone, and I will spend the rest of my eternal life in the presence of my most precious Savior. This Good News is what helps me to choose that joy of the Holy Spirit!
Why Do We Make Bad Choices?
Though it is not always just that easy, we do have some other things that the Bible encourages us to do. One of my “go to” passages is the one where Paul tells us how to obtain the peace of God. He says,
“6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9
You see, the truth of the matter is that we do what we do because we feel what we feel because we think what we think. Did you get that? It all begins with what we are spending our time thinking on. When we are wallowing in our own self-pity, we will not have peace. But when we choose to think on the right kind of things, God’s word promises peace.
Now I am not saying you cannot be sad, nor you cannot grieve, but I am saying that there is a time for that, and it should not be your regular state of mind. Because when that happens you will sink down into that pit of despair and want to stay there forever. Remember, “To every thing there is a season … a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3). As believers we are encouraged to edify others greater than ourselves (Philippians 2:4). Why? because that is what Jesus did, “he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus did not do that for Himself, He did it for us (Romans 5:8).
I ask you; how can you think others better than yourself if you are refusing to come out of that season and do for others? Consider this: when you decide to bless others where is your focus? It is on them! So then, you have chosen to come out of that season of sadness or depression and focus your thoughts and deeds on improving someone else’s situation. And you know what? All the while choosing the joy of serving someone else is choosing joy for yourself the way God would want you to do. It is a win-win for everyone, right?
God’s word is so encouraging and when you spend time daily reading the Bible, He speaks to you and helps you to grow closer to Him. He has a remedy for all of life’s issues because He is the giver of life and knows exactly what His children need. But to know His remedy, you need to know His words and the only way to do that is to read it and hide it in your heart. Choosing joy is difficult at times, but when you choose joy everyone around you is better off for it.
Things to Think on and Do:
- Is there a difference between JOY and HAPPINESS? Explain.
- What is your favorite Bible verse or passage about JOY?
- Make it a point to serve someone in the upcoming week, you will not regret that choice.
