“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Have you ever been around someone who is laughing so hard they can’t stop? Even if you have no idea what they are laughing at or about, usually it will at the very least bring a smile to your face, and if you are anything like me, you will start laughing yourself as well (that is if I am not the person who was laughing to begin with). Now you are laughing yet you don’t know why, you just are, you are enjoying the moment. The happiness has rubbed on to you.
I am also reminded of my grandpa. He is a short full-blooded German who tends to come off a bit gruff, but is actually quite the opposite. And even though he may pretend to be grumpy, anyone who been around my grandpa, particularly in the mornings, knows that he whistles all the time. He always wakes up smiling and whistling and it doesn't' matter what kind of mood I am in, I smile and my mood improves.
Now, the Bible tells us that we should have a “happy heart” or “cheerful heart” and having them can have a world of difference on the outcome of our circumstances, and make it easier to get through the hard times as well as make the good times that much better. Our attitudes and how we handle situations in this world can give us cheer, or tear us down. They also affect the way people feel when they are around you.
When you are happy, just like when someone can’t stop laughing or when I listen to my grandpa whistling in the morning, it is contagious. Our cheerfulness usually causes other people to have a cheerful attitude as well. "Happiness breeds happiness."
And not only does the Bible tell us a “cheerful heart” is good for the body and soul, but it is God’s will for us to be joyful and happy. Like the second verse above, in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, God lets us know what He wants for us in just three short commands. But let me point out that “Be joyful” comes first, before “pray” and “give thanks,” which are two big repeated commandments to all Christians.
As Christians, in the midst of trials and tribulations we always have something we can be “cheerful” or “joyful” about. We can rejoice because of God’s forgiveness for our sins, His presences in our lives, the blessings He provides daily, the gift of salvation, the promise of eternal life with Him; the list goes on and on. So not only should we take time to find the happiness in life but also have the joy of Christ’s love and forgiveness and just as the laughter and happiness, this joy will also be seen and acknowledged by others.
For example (and this is just one example as we should be share the joy of Christ in many different ways), what if upon hearing that someone accepted Jesus into their hearts, we just responded with, “Oh, that’s nice, I am glad for him.” How would others, especially non-Christians, who look in on this conversion view the importance of that miracle? Not much, not when we ourselves didn't seem to think much of it. Now, we know that repenting our sins and receiving Christ’s forgiveness is the most important thing we could ever do in our lives and I hope we would never react in that way, but it just goes to show how vital it is for people to see our joy of Christ’s saving grace and how important it is.
Now, I’m not saying that we should be happy all the time. That’s physically impossible. I struggle with depression and I am in a near constant state of pain, both physical and emotional and have my fair share of bay days. However, my prayer is that everyone, me included, takes time to fill our minds and hearts with joy, laughter and happiness whenever we can as well as no matter what’s going on in our lives that we don’t forget to always show the appropriate joy for Christ. Not only will it put ourselves in a joyful mood, regardless of the circumstances, but may also plant a seed in someone’s heart that may lead them closer to a relationship with Christ.
And this song was a song I sang as a kid all the time, and it is appropriate too. :)
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