Choosing Joy

Ok, now, bless my boots and pass over some o’ that there sweet iced tea, friend. Why don’t you just  pull up a comfy rocker on this full o’ grace front porch today and let the good Lord’s gentle, soothin’ breeze settle your spirit ‘cause we’re ‘bout to wade chin-deep into some real joy, the kind that don’t go blowin’ away like a chicken feather in a windstorm. Philippians 4:4 tells us that we should, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice.” That there verse is like a rooster crowin’ for all he’s worth at the crack o’ sunrise ‘cause he’s refusin’ to let you ignore the beginnin’ of a new day.

Now, I know some days you wake up feelin’ ‘bout as joyful as a possum caught in a rain barrel that he can’t figure out how to escape from. Life sometimes gets real loud, messy, unpredictable, and ‘bout as calm as a squirrel hopped up on too much sweet tea. But, friend, joy is not somethin’ we have to be waitin on like the comin’ of the mail truck. Joy is somethin’ God plants right there within us. Galatians 5:22–23 tells us it’s part of the fruits of the Spirit, tucked right in there with love, peace, patience, and all the other traits we wish came as easily as eating some o’ that warm, fresh-baked apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top.

The apostles understood this, too. They were not skippin’ through fields of daisies. They were facing trouble that would make an ol’ billy goat faint right on the spot. Yet, Acts 5:41 says they walked away “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” And Paul, bless him, wrote Philippians 4:4 while sitting in prison. If he could rejoice in a place that smelled like damp stone and disappointed dreams, then there is hope for the takin’ for the rest of us.

Sometimes our joy tank feels emptier than a feed trough after the hogs get through with it. Worries move in like uninvited raccoons. Negativity starts nestin’ like lil’ ol’ pesky woodpeckers workin’ on the rafters in an old barn beam. But the real obstacle just ain’t  the hardship. It’s the mindset. Joy ain’t the absence of trouble. It’s the recognizing and rejoicing in the gift of presence of God in the middle of all the trouble.

And He’s there. Always. Every single moment. Psalm 5:11 says those who trust in Him can shout for joy because He defends them. That means even when you feel joyless, God is standing guard like a wise old barn owl watching over the whole property.

So, how do we live joyfully? Strengthen your walk with the Lord. Stay connected to His people. Practice gratitude like it’s a daily vitamin. Forgive quickly. Look for joy in the small things. And remember Romans 12:12. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Father, thank You for the joy You place in my heart. Even when life feels heavy, You walk beside me and fill my days with hope, peace, and joy. Help me rejoice in You, trust You fully, and live with a heart tuned to Your goodness. In Jesus name, Amen.

Now, by cracky, friend, when you get ready to step down off this porch and git right back into your everyday trails, keep in mind that joy is not fragile. It’s not fussy. It’s not scared off by trouble like a skittish deer in the woods. It’s real sturdy, God grown, and meant to carry you farther than you think you can ever go. So, make that lil’ ol’  effort to lift your chin, steady your heart, and let the supernatural joy of the Lord is your strength. Let that joy rise up within you like a beautiful sunrise that refuses to stay hidden behind any kind of an ol’ frown ‘cause it’s so downright lovely it looks like the Lord took some of His time to paint it on His day off.

With joy,

Gwen