Choosing Joy

Psalm 16:8-11

Rev. Barry Settle, Contributing Writer

Henri Nouwen was a renowned Catholic priest, professor, theologian, author of numerous books, and beloved confidant to many troubled souls. Nouwen is responsible for the following quote, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God, our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us.” Let me reiterate that first part – “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

As we enter 2023, let us choose joy for our life. After the last three years, we need joy! Pandemic, social unrest, political circus, vaccinations, boosters, and more boosters. It is time for us to reclaim some joy in our lives. Of course, thisassumes that joy is the desired goal, as even the person who appears to enjoy being miserable, deep down, really would love to have joy.  But be advised, joy does not merely happen to us. We choose joy.

Joy is hard to define because we confuse it with being happy when things are going our way or just doing whatever we want. Let me tell you, there have been times when I appeared happy but did not have any joy!  So, what is joy? Let me start by saying what joy is not. It is not the power of positive thinking. It is not being happy due to external circumstances or having an upbeat personality. It is not removing negative energy. It is not being the life of the party or smiling and laughing all the time. This is not to say if you have these attributes, you don’t have joy, but joy is not defined as these things.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines joy as closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion, a result of choice. Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian because joy is grounded in the work of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because of God, joy is possible in our lives, and Jesus connects our joy to our personal devotional life with Him. John 15:10-11 reads, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

This joy that Jesus has can be in us, and circumstances or occurrences of life cannot extinguish such joy. Joy is God-given and stronger than any trouble in our lives. Circumstances of life cannot extinguish this joy.

This joy is available, but we must choose it daily. If there is anyone to whom many of us can relate, it is David, as he had his share of trouble and circumstances in his life. He was not viewed as a member of the family, as when Samuel went to his father’s house to anoint the next king, all his brothers were in the house, and he was outside, keeping the sheep. He was betrayed by his mentor, Saul, who wanted to kill him. He made mistakes; his own son even betrayed him. Yet, in spite of it all, David still chose joy and leaves us a formula in this psalm on how we can choose joy daily.

Keep God at your right hand. In verse eight, David says he keeps the Lord before him at all times and is at his right hand. Because of this, with God at David’s right hand, nothing would rob him of his joy. The right hand is the place of authority and exaltation. As we choose joy daily, we must make God the priority in our life. In Exodus 20:3, God says, “you shall have no other gods before me.” When God has priority in our lives, we include God as a part of everything we do throughout our day.

Follow the path of life. As we choose joy, we follow the path. John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the path. He has gone before us and instructs us to follow Him and the path He walked, which leads to life.

Seek His Presence. We find joy when we seek God’s presence. David recognizes that there is not only joy but the fullness of joy in the presence of God. This is more than reading the Bible, praying, or going to church. We find joy when we extend ourselves beyond our normal, daily spiritual routines. Psalm 105:4 encourages us to “seek his presence continually.”

As we move through 2023, let us lean on these words in this psalm and decide to embrace this fullness of joy for our lives. Today, let us choose to have joy!