Joy in All Things

Thursday, June 15

Joy In All Things
By: Lori Ennis
 
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
 
I did not rejoice as I stood in front of my baby son’s grave.
I did not rejoice as I stood in front of my mother’s urn, or my father-in-law’s graveside service in Arlington.

I had a hard time swallowing that verse, and a harder time still with songs like, ‘It Is Well,’ because frankly, it was not well.
 
But those circumstances showed me that having a heart of sorrow did not mean you could not have joy.

I rejoiced in the family and friends that surrounded us after our son died.
I laughed with rarely-seen family as we remembered the Wild Child my mother was her whole life.
I burst with pride over the amazing things said and remembered about my dear father-in-law.
 
Would you say I was happy? No, of course not. I would have changed each of those situations in a second if I could have.

But…the JOY of the Lord was with me. In my Oikos. In my quiet time crying out to Him and feeling Him provide over and over again in my desperation. In the songs that would come on my radio, perfectly timed to give me the Word that God had for me to help me through the times of grief.

In Greek, the word for happiness is "ευτυχία" (eutychia). It means a typical association of well-being and pleasure derived from external circumstances or events. Joy, on the other hand, is "χαρά" (chara). It’s typically associated with a deeper, inner feeling of contentment and delight; a spiritual emotion that comes from an inner sense of fulfillment and peace.

His peace.
 
I grew up believing the Joy of the Lord and sorrow couldn’t coexist. That’s simply untrue. You can be unhappy with your circumstances in your life, and still have a joy that comes only from abiding in Him. 

And so, when you find yourself facing something hard…something that brings sorrow to your heart and you wonder how you can rejoice in it, remember that it’s not that sorrow you’re rejoicing in, it’s HIM.

It’s not that job loss you’re rejoicing in; it’s HIS promise of provision.
It's not that move you’re dreading; it’s HIS promise of His best when you obey.
It’s not that death you’re rejoicing in; it’s HIS resurrection promise of eternal life.
 
Jesus Himself was sorrowful about going to the cross. The Bible says He was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

But He was fully resigned to trust His Father and abide in His presence. He knew His joy was not contingent on His circumstances, grave as they were, but anchored in His relationship with God.
 
And that’s how you can sing “It Is Well," even when your heart is broken. Find your joy in Him.