Choosing Joy Over Misery is Best. Choice. Ever.

Choosing Joy Over Misery is Best. Choice. Ever.

September 20, 2020 Off By Donna Wuerch

An excerpt from my early morning text to my children yesterday was: “Good Sunday morning, my darlings. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, AND out of me!” They knew what I meant. I was filled with joy because over the previous couple of days, I experienced the results of food poisoning – unwise food choices or simply the stomach flu that led to misery. I really tried to choose joy in the midst of it all. I prayed and praised with fervor for healing. My kids were my prayer partners. Good news – the misery led me to my friend, the internet, which led me to the BRAT method for nausea and the other accompanying yuck! BRAT stands for bananas – rice – apples – toast. I chose applesauce and toast. It helped. Still with symptoms the next day – I chose that as my nourishment again. That evening, I had a banana. Yesterday, Sunday, I woke feeling like a brand-new woman with the bonus of a good clean out! I apologize – TMI!

I remembered this display at my daughter’s home. “Choose Joy”. How can we count all this yucky stuff (i.e., illness, disappointments, financial pressures, politics, family issues, etc.) as joy? The Apostle James tells us how: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2) WHAT? What were you thinking, dear James? You aren’t here in our 2020 – Covid, raging fires, hurricanes, lost jobs, riots, home schooling, wearing masks?

I hear people say: “These are unprecedented times”, but, oh, not-so! Let’s take a look at James’ firsthand experience and what it looked like when he wrote that verse. It was during a time when Christians faced insurmountable problems that had stolen their joy. In their defense, those believers had justifiable reasons for bad attitudes. They faced great persecution, unrelenting trials and sufferings — from murder to imprisonment at the hands of Saul, who was zealous to destroy the church and anyone associated with Jesus. As a result, these Christians lived in poverty, forced to scrounge for food to service. Some were sick and everyone was exhausted. They lived in fear, mourning, confusion, and hopelessness.

It makes the 2020’s, and my little bout with tummy stuff, seem like heaven-on-earth. Those folks had every right to be negative and pessimistic. James acknowledged their suffering but also wanted to give them hope and encouragement. He told them inner joy could still be theirs if they deliberately chose to take control of their thinking and change their attitude. He encouraged them to pause and refocus on their faith.
Aw! Faith! I’m so grateful to be on this side of faith and trust in our Sovereign God. One of the hardest lessons we Christians must learn is how to be joyful in the midst of pain and suffering. So, what did James mean when he said: “Count it all joy”? He is telling us to consider what we are going through as a matter of joy, not because the thing itself is something that is joy-filled, but because tough stuff of any kind works patience within us. And, for me, in my conjured-up joy, I recognized the blessing of health. My joy, despite my woe, created gratitude in my heart – not to take good health for granted when we have it. Our suffering is not an exercise in futility. God has a purpose, and that purpose is always good. We can count all things joy because God is working in all situations, even the most painful. God really IS working in all these unprecedented times we are living through right now.

Choosing joy during the good and the bad days creates faith and trust that God really is working all these pains and sufferings for our good. It creates hope that these days will be soon be over. I’m here to tell you “I’ve chosen joy” and “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Won’t you let it be your strength today and tomorrow, too?