CHOOSING JOY!

As we talked about this past Sunday, we all get to choose whether or not we will live with Joy, and what level of Joy we have. Sometimes the decision to choose Joy is easier to make than others. When our current situation in life is anything but “Joyful”, we are still instructed to Always Be Joyful (1 Thessalonians 5:16). By the way, we should all have that verse memorized by now.

But when it comes to Choosing Joy, the more powerful issue comes down to the decisions we make about things that either promote Joy or move us away from having Joy. The environment and the people we choose to have around ourselves have a great influence on us as to the level of Joy we experience. If we constantly hang out with people who are needy, negative, and grouchy, we will find ourselves moving that direction. This can very quickly make it difficult to choose and experience any kind of Joy. If our minds are more consumed with the things of this world than they are the Word of God, it’s very difficult to choose Joy! 

Why do you think Paul says this to the Church in Philippi (4:8): “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

To “fix our thoughts” means that we intentionally choose what we allow our minds to be consumed by – good or bad, because one of the most effective ways our enemy – the devil – influences our lives is by simply keeping our minds busy with things that steal our Joy and move us away from God’s Word. 

Therefore today – CHOOSE JOY & CHOOSE THINGS THAT PROMOTE JOY!