Choosing Joy

Down in My Heart Kind of Joy
Lesson 5
Choose Joy

Beth Moore has two daughters. The oldest, Amanda, started a blog for Living Proof Ministries (there is a link in the list on the right). It is a fun slice of life in their family. Beth, Amanda, and the younger sister, Melissa, write posts about anything from what is for dinner to a neat insight from their personal Bible study. One post allowed bloggers to post questions. Being a mom, this one caught my eye. “What was the best advice you got from your mom growing up?” Amanda replied, “Choose joy.” We get into so many situations and we have a choice of how to handle it—choose joy. I thought that was great advice.

So here is a joy check. Read these verses and write down the evidences of joy they describe.

Psalm 34:5

Psalm 146:5

Proverbs 13:9

Proverbs 16:20

Do I see the evidence of joy in my life? Am I joyful? If not, am I spending time with Him to trust Him? Am I worrying instead of trusting? Am I obeying? Is there sin I need to confess?

Read 2 Corinthians 13:11.

Paul presents this like we have a choice to be joyful. I want to suggest that it isn’t a choice in just changing your attitude. That is not lasting joy. I cannot sustain the act. It is a choice of being in God’s presence or not. It is a command—we have the choice to obey or not. Did you notice the promise here? Do these four things, and “the God of love and peace will be with you.” His presence will be with us! (Keep this circle of presence-obedience-presence in mind.)

Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it
again—rejoice! (NLT)

To me this says, continually, consistently be in God’s presence and in His Word, so I will be full of joy.

“You have to look for the joy. Look for the light of God that is hitting your
life, and you will find sparkles you didn’t know were there.”
–Barbara Johnson

Heart question:
So how is your heart? Are you choosing this greater joy?