“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
John 16:22
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”
Philippians 4:4
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22
The Greek word translated as “joy” in the Bible is χαίρω, or chairó and the definition is: “rejoice in’ or “to be glad”. This is somewhat different from the previous topic of happiness in that it seems to reflect a choice that we make to be joyful. We must choose to be glad.
Joy is generated by gaining perspective on a situation and seeing it in the eternal timeline instead of the momentary timeline.
When we focus on the temporary discomfort, we have sorrow. When we turn our focus to the rewards of heaven, or even to the benefits of becoming a man more capable of enduring adversity, we have changed our perspective. Perspective is the tool through which we obtain joy.
The Apostles were joyful after they were beaten for preaching gospel, they counted themselves honored that they should suffer for Christ (Acts 5:41). Do you think being beaten with rods is fun and joyful? Definitely not. Viewing their punishment as a sign that they were doing something right, however, is why they were joyful. They were glad because they saw their temporary situation of pain in the eternal timeline of enjoyment.
This is a hard concept to understand, but it can be likened to physical exercise. During physical training, there is acute pain in the body. However, because we know that the pain is creating growth of the body, the pain is acceptable. A man can even get to the point where he enjoys that pain because he has associated it with improvement of the body. We must view discomfort in the same way, treating it as a growth vector rather than a stand-alone painful event. This mindset creates joy though struggle.
Some Christians believe that joy is an emotion.
That is fine, but there are some serious questions for anyone who suggests that God requires emotion from us. There are no verses saying that we must be emotionally joyful in order to enter into heaven. On the other hand, there are verses that speak about the necessity of joy. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
God is not a God who requires us to feel a certain way in order to obey Him and do what is right. In fact, the opposite is usually true. God wants us to choose to obey Him even when we are not feeling good emotions and when life is not going well. God expects obedience, not emotions. There are plenty of people who have their “heart in the right place”, but a rightly placed heart without obedience will not get you into heaven.
Joy is created through detachment and perspective which are the products of wisdom.
Joy can be devoid of emotion, even though sometimes joy will sometimes produce positive emotions. Gaining these emotions should not be our primary goal since they are merely a positive benefit that comes as a result of doing what is right. It is our job to do what is right and be joyful in our purpose as men, pursuing an emotional “high” is for the weak. Focus your mind on creating joy by changing your perspective.
Mantra
I am joyful, because my choices have rewards.
Application
Detach from your life and look at it on the scale of eternity. What you are going through now is worth the reward of heaven, even though it may not feel like it at any given time.
Do not trust your emotions. Feelings have no bearing on reality, so do not make any decisions based on your emotions. Be glad that you are in your situation in life. You likely know about God and Christ, that puts you ahead of the vast majority of the world. You live in the modern world, so if you do not know Christ, the probability of discovering Christianity is high due to the advantages of technology.
Life is bringing good situations to us, so we must be glad for them. Being glad does not mean feeling good. Being glad is related to being thankful and wise in our thinking. Be glad for your salvation. Give thanks for your God. concentrate your thoughts on what matters. Gain perspective and as a results you will gain joy. Be a Man.
Conduct Yourselves Like Men.
Read On: “Challenge“
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