Living a Joyful LifeSample

The True Anchor for a Lasting Joy

Phil 4:4, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice."

When we place Philippians 4:4 side-by-side with the current happening in the world, it is easy to assume that the verse was probably an afterthought or a mere suggestion. How can we rejoice always in the face of evil around the world? Hunger and Starvation, war, suicide, murder, diseases, terrorism, joblessness, socioeconomic unrest, and the list goes on. Could it be that Apostle Paul was oblivious to the evil around the world when he wrote this letter to the Philippians? No, that couldn't be logically accurate. Apostle Paul had his fair share of pain and tribulations.

When we see joy as an outcome-based reality, Philippians 4:4 no longer holds. True joy is not anchored based on outcomes, expectations, positive or negative realities, success or failures; true joy is anchored on faith in Christ Jesus, that, despite the evils or events around us, we can still live a joyful life.

You don't have to have all your ducks in a row; you don't have to have life figured out; you don't have to have all the answers to life's questions to be joyful, but you've got to have faith that God has your best interest at heart. You are not waiting for your goals to succeed to become joyful; on the contrary, you are a joyful person waiting for your goals to succeed.

True joy is not a fleeting emotional expression; as a child of God, joy should be a lifestyle. You cannot be at your best in a sorrowful, bitter, sad, depressed, and unhappy state of mind. Hence, anything that contends with your joy is never from God. The devil plans to keep us focused on what is not working yet in our lives, but we must not take that bait. Take your joy away from expectations. Take your joy away from outcomes. Take your joy away from people's promises. Why? Isaiah 60:22, "When the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen."

An absolute peaceful world, void of pain, evil, cruelty, hunger, and strife, to name a few, is only possible through divine intervention. Sadly, this is our painful existential reality. Though we may play our roles in managing and containing the evil around us, we've got to admit that only God can create a perfect world. The freedom of choice is one of God's greatest gifts to humankind; how we express it creates the kind of world we live in.

We've got to be intentional about living each day joyfully, irrespective of the circumstances around us. Every day is a gift, and this day is not coming back. Live your best life now.