CHOOSE JOY

Joy (noun): a feeling of great pleasure and happiness🌟

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4

When the sun rises in the morning, it means another opportunity to be grateful, another opportunity to love one another, another opportunity to CHOOSE JOY. The Lord has been speaking to me over the last few weeks about this concept that joy is a choice and true JOY is found only in Him. 

Paul is a great example of this faith and joy throughout the book of Philippians. He wrote the book while in prison. Did you catch that, IN PRISON! I know what you may be thinking, how is it possible to have joy in that situation? Paul was literally in the lowest of lows, how in the world did he find joy? The answer is simple. He had faith. Sure he may have been in prison, but he viewed this as an opportunity. He knew that his joy was not dependent on his circumstance, but was found solely in Christ.  

It is humanly impossible to control 100% of the circumstances we are faced with. Sometimes life throws a curveball (or a few) and it is not always going to be rainbows and butterflies. It is what we choose to do and who we turn to in the valleys and times of uncertainty that determines our faith. It is choosing to REJOICE not only on the mountaintop but also in the valley. It is making the choice to turn to the one and only true God rather than the world that will only provide temporary fulfillment. YOUR LIFE IS NOT LIMITED TO THE SCOPE OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. He is bringing something out of this season that is beyond what you and I can see, and is going to use it for a greater purpose. Choose to have JOY like Paul. When your joy lies in Jesus, nothing can rob you from it.💛