Joy

Are you a joyful person? Do you have lots of happy “Dee Dah Days”? Perhaps you believe joy is something experienced only by those who have everything you’ve always wanted. Or joy is a feeling that people with no problems get to have. Maybe you believe joy is a deep spiritual thing that does not necessarily mean you are happy, just that you have soulful peace.

C. S. Lewis said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” The apostle Paul tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” Lewis Smedes believes that, “To miss out on joy is to miss out on the reason for your existence.”

I love that – joy is the reason for our existence! Every day is filled with opportunities to be joyful, to feel happy. You can choose to recognize them and celebrate. Or you can choose to reject joy and be victimized by life’s disappointments and hardships. John Ortberg says, “The problem with people…is not that we are too happy for God’s taste, but that we are not happy enough.”

Whatever your circumstances, practice joyful celebration. Choose to be happy. Put on a smile until it becomes your natural 24/7 expression. Set aside a “Dee Dah Day” each week where you do something you truly love. Hang around with people who love life. Then thank God for all of the things He has given you to celebrate. Joy is contagious – be a carrier.