Choose Joy!

Choose Joy!

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalm 33:3 NIV

As you read this today, election day is past. The way you voted yesterday may help determine the future direction of our nation. That sounds pretty ominous, doesn’t it? But whatever happened yesterday, you get to decide how you feel about it. You have two choices. You can gripe about the political atmosphere, or you can choose an attitude of joy. The choice is up to you.

One of my favorite authors, Henri J.M. Nouwen, said, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” Personally, I choose joy from the moment my eyes open. Sometimes my eyes open almost fully at 1:30 am when our little 12-pound Havanese Millie decides she needs to go outside to do her business. I could choose to boot her out the door and throw all kinds of expletives at her. Instead, I choose to be grateful for the silence that fills our home, silence that can’t be heard at 1:30 pm.

Henri Nouwen also said, “To choose joy does not mean to choose happy feelings or an artificial atmosphere of hilarity. But it does mean the determination to let whatever takes place bring us one step closer to the God of life.” Pastor Nouwen was saying that choosing joy needs to go beyond surface-level cheerfulness. Let’s admit it. Life isn’t fair sometimes. Our spouses aren’t supposed to lie in hospital beds. Our infants aren’t supposed to be still-born. People of all races and nations should be treated fairly. Displaced people shouldn’t sleep on steam grates in the cold of winter. We do have reasons to be angry. But we also can choose joy. That doesn’t mean we should wear masks of artificial cheerfulness when life throws curveballs at us. We will endure times of sadness.

Friends, let’s choose true joy, the kind of joy that can exist side-by-side with grief, struggle, and suffering. Joy isn’t the absence of hard things, but an anchor that holds deeper than them.

Today, won’t you choose joy with me? Because life sometimes brings those heavy times, choosing joy means that you and I will need to make conscious, repeated decisions every single day . . . and sometimes every single hour of each day. I’ll be praying that you experience a deeper spiritual joy that comes from knowing and following the One who gave His life for us and lives for us today. And if you don’t know Him yet, call me any time of the day or night at 717-658-6707 and we’ll talk!



Thank you for reading Pastor Dale’s Mid-Week Encouragement. It’s not copyrighted so feel free to share it with someone who needs encouragement today. And, if you’re a regular attender of the Mt. Laurel Church of God or regularly watch our Facebook live feed, consider reading Matthew 25:1-13 to get ready to worship with us on Sunday, November 15 as Pastor Dale shares some good news from God’s Word for you. Join us this coming Sunday, November 8, for our annual Patriotic Sunday, led by Dr. David Smith.

Called to know the Way, go the Way, and show you the Way,

Pastor Dale

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife find joy in serving the Mt. Laurel Church of God [www.mtlaurelcog.org]. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else, too. Feel free to share this email with anyone you choose. And if for some reason, you'd like to stop receiving PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send me an email (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.