TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR JOY!

I have encountered many disappointed people along various stages of life’s journey. People who didn’t get the job they wanted, or were passed over for a favour; people with disabilities, family unrest, failed goals, and lots of regret. However, many of them are consistently determined to take charge of their joy amid the challenges they find themselves in. The scripture says; “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”  Proverbs 17:22

We all may have faced one challenge or the other in life, challenges at work, and people who are hard to get along with. Disappointments sometimes from the people you least expected such from. If we are not careful, we will let the pressures of life weigh us down and control how our day turns out.

It’s easy to complain, talk about our challenges and become discouraged. We must first of all accept the fact that we were not created to endure life, we were created to enjoy life and that can only happen when you take charge of your joy. Take charge of how you respond to issues by not allowing negative emotions to take hold of you. We can’t control what happens on the outside, but we can control what happens on the inside. Refuse to allow your joy and happiness to be based on circumstances, or to be triangulated by what happens around you!

For instance, some people say that the weekend is always a joyful time for them! Their spouse treats them better. The traffic wasn’t too bad, and they were happy. But joy is not dependent on what’s happening around you. Joy is deep down within you. It’s a calm delight within you. contentment and you are at peace. You know God’s fighting your battles. You could be upset, but you have a smile on your face. Things may be tough, but you are not complaining. Your attitude is that life is good. I’m thankful to be alive.

When you live like that, you are tapping into the joy the scripture talks about in John chapter 4:14… Jesus said to the woman at the well, “If you drink of this water, you will thirst again. But I will give you living water”. “This water will become a spring, welling up, within you”. There is a well of joy in you right now, a spring that’s supposed to bubble up and continually flow. Why don’t we all express this continual flow of joy? The scripture says, we must “be ever filled with the spirit”. (Ephesians 5:18)

Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and you don’t get filled with the Spirit one time and then be done. This means regularly. So, how do we do it and take charge of our joy? The next verse says, “By speaking to yourself in songs, making melody in your heart, and by being thankful”. (Ephesians 5:19-20) That is keeping a song of praise in your heart. All through the day, on the inside, we should be singing. This means in our attitude, we are grateful.

Every time you do this, something is happening. You are not just being positive, just having a good attitude. You are being filled back up. God is pouring into your peace, strength, favour, and victory. Because you are making melody in your heart, you are going to stay encouraged. The well of joy will keep bubbling up, giving you the strength to fight the good fight of faith.

NEW HABIT OF JOY!

You can develop this new habit of joy by keeping a song in your heart. You have to look for ways in your everyday life, brushing your teeth in the morning, “Lord, thank you for this day”. Getting dressed for work, “Lord, thank you that I’m healthy”. Preparing a meal, “Lord, thank you for my children, my spouse or my family”. Driving or going to work, “Lord, thank you that I have a job”. In your thoughts, you are always meditating on God’s goodness.

It’s easy to do just the opposite and focus on what’s wrong. It doesn’t take much effort to go towards the negative. “Well, pastor, I don’t like my job. These people get on my nerves, and traffic is always terrible, and I don’t feel like cooking dinner for my family. Nobody appreciates me”. These thoughts can only make you look miserable!

Turn it around and start making a melody in your heart. You may not like your job, but why don’t you thank God that at least you have a job? If you will be grateful where you are, God will get you to where you are supposed to be. You may have some big obstacles, people, and circumstances coming against you. But you don’t have to live upset and worried. 

You can thank God that He is fighting your battles, thank Him that He is making your crooked places straight. You can go through the day with expectancy, saying, “I don’t see a way, but God, I know you have a way. You have done it for me in the past; I know you will do it for me again”. This is how you take charge of your joy. When you have joy, you have the strength you need to overcome the obstacle, to outlast the attack, to accomplish your dreams.

How we enjoy life, and how much longer and healthier we would live will largely depend on how much songs of praise are on the inside. I’m not talking about being musical, I’m talking about a lifestyle of being thankful, counting your blessings, seeing the best, and always thinking about what God has done, how blessed we are, and how good things are in store.

Even in trials, we are not complaining. We are thanking God that He is bigger than our challenges. Don’t complain when it is storms. Don’t be sour when things don’t go your way. Just keep singing. Keep making melody. Keep being grateful. It may be rough on the outside, but stay full of joy on the inside. Keep that song of praise in your heart. The scripture says, “Do all things without complaining” (Philippians 2:14-15) That means do the dishes without complaining. Drive in traffic, and sit where the ushers asked you to sit in church without complaining…I have to bring that up right! 

Sometimes, we complain about the very thing that we asked God for that He gave to us. You prayed for that bigger house, yet you are complaining about it. You prayed for that spouse yet you are complaining about him or her, even the job, you prayed for yet you are complaining.  You prayed for that baby, now you are complaining that you have to get up sometimes in the middle of the night.

It’s easy to complain. There is always some reason to be sour, upset, and complain about something, complain about the city, complain about churches or your local church. We even complain about a piece of advice that encourages us not to complain. Here is a good phrase to remember. When you complain, you remain. But when you praise, you will be raised. When you have that song in your heart, you are always thinking about God’s goodness, you are going to rise higher. You are going to see more of God’s favour.

We create much of our unhappiness because of the way we respond to negative things and our approach to life. When you develop this habit of seeing the good and meditating on God’s goodness, making melody, life goes so much better. That is how you take charge of your joy despite what is happening around you.

Jesus said, “No man can take your joy”. No storm, no opposition, no traffic, no disappointment. There is a well in you that will never run dry. When you keep this song of praise, making melody, focusing on what is right, then that well of joy is going to keep bubbling up on your inside, keeping you strong and joyous always!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”’