"Rejoice, though you have considered all the facts" (from a poem by Wendell Barry)
Did you know that the root of the word "joy" actually means "rejoice." And rejoice is a verb. Thus our joy derives not so much from a certain emotion or feeling but from an action. From our settled attitude and commitment to rejoice--to look for reasons for gratitude, thankfulness and rejoicing. And then to do it--that is, to not only open our eyes and hearts to see and notice the reasons for joy in our lives but then to express it in some way...write it, sing it, dance it, share it, pray it.
Moreover--and I love this!--Barry's phrase indicates that our rejoicing does not exclude or ignore the facts, even the hardest, darkest facts in our lives. No, to the contrary, our rejoicing sees and acknowledges life's sorrows and challenges...yet even in the face of that reality, we choose to rejoice.
For believers, no matter what we might be enduring or facing, there are always, always, always infinite grounds for rejoicing. Why? Because our God is with us. Our God is for us. Our God loves us so much that He came to earth to live the life we could never live, to die the death that we deserved, and to rise again to new resurrection life so that we might live forever with Him in glory. And we can, and must rejoice, because our God is awesome, holy, beautiful, compassionate, loving, forgiving, powerful, joyful, just, merciful and on and on....beyond all imagining.
That is our God and there is none other. How on earth can we not rejoice?
The psalmist puts it this way in Psalms 42 and 43: "Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God." (Ps.42:5,11 and Ps.43:5)
Today, every day, we have the choice whether we will live in dejection, turmoil and despair or whether we will live in hope and rejoicing in our Savior and our God. As my daughter often reminds (and scolds me whenever I'm living in discouragement and defeat in a fruitless effort to prepare for some mythic worst possible outcome!) "Mom, choose to walk in hope!"
Yes, let's join the psalmist and counsel our hearts. It's time to do some preaching to ourselves rather than listening to our selves. Heart, why are you so dejected? Look up! Look at who your God is and all He has done. Put your hope in Him. He will never leave you, never forsake you, never fail you. So hope in God and rejoice in your Savior...starting today, right now!
To God be the glory.
