Choosing Joy Again!

 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

Yesterday while on our church's Zoom Prayer Team call it was my turn to share what request I had for prayer. The only thing I kept focusing on was how grouchy I have been over the past two weeks. Typically, I am full of optimism and encouragement but those companions recently have seemed hidden. Sheepishly, I asked the team to pray that my grouchiness would leave me. In their prayers the call for one thing kept arising...the call for joy in the Lord. Ahhhh...how did I forget about joy? This morning, I immediately opened the lid on the treasured writings God has given me over the last 12 years. I searched on the word joy bringing up past writings and found this treasure. Sometimes when we need our emotions to be settled, joy is something we choose rather than something we feel. Our decision to choose to be joyful is blessed by God giving us His joy. His joy is our reward for seeking Him for what we lack.

Our morning passage used to seem more like a fairy tale than verses in the Bible to me. Who on earth can consider the multiple trials in which we have all experienced ‘pure joy’? Before we roll our eyes and skip over this passage let me share with you the most complete definition I have ever read defining joy. Years ago, I read Kay Warren’s book called Choosing Joy, Because Happiness isn’t Enough. Her definition of joy is ‘the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.’ And that is the core of joy – choosing it despite our circumstances.

Joy is the overflow of spiritual maturity and completion once we really embrace God's track record. Joy is cumulative and progressive as God proves Himself faithful in all seasons. Joy runs the race to the very end, while happiness constantly searches for another path. We are certainly going to face trials until we step into Heaven so why wouldn’t we choose joy understanding that our trials are not empty? Why wouldn’t we step into maturity and move towards completion in God? What does it look like when are living a life lacking nothing? It looks like the woman who despite her broken relationship fully understands that God is still in control of every detail. It is the man who has God’s assurance that provision will be there to carry him through the lean times. It is the parent that continues to praise God even while awaiting the prodigal to return…a settled assurance… a quiet confidence…a determined choice to praise God through it all.

Seasons come, and seasons go, and they are strung together with both beautiful days and heart wrenching moments. Most times we cannot control the hardships that crash into our lives, but we can walk through them with joy…pure joy as the author described. God promises that we will have everything we need to face any trial. In Him we will lack nothing, so with that truth we can take comfort and choose joy!