Perhaps few things are more essential for the life we long to live than the essential of joy. Unexplainable, uncontainable, contagious and outrageous, extreme joy. I'm not sure if I should try to distinguish between happiness and joy. But I'm not talking about a pain-free existence. And I'm not talking about getting everything I want, when I want it. I'm talking about something deeper than circumstantial happiness.
In Phil. 4:4 he takes this whole joy thing to the extreme. Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again rejoice! And so he puts joy in the non-optional category. If we value the Bible, then joy is a command and joylessness is a sin. Here's what I'm thinking...
If joy is a command, than it must also mean that joy is a choice. What if…regardless of your prison, regardless of your hard season, what if you can choose joy? Would that change your life?
