Dare to have joy

Dare to have joy today. You have been putting it off until next Tuesday, haven't you? After that dreaded appointment, after that big exam. How is that working for ya? Does Tuesday ever come? Not so far. But hey, you're only 58.

Well, we can presume that heaven will be joyful, at least. That's what you're holding out for, failing next Tuesday's disappointment. To account for the dismal reality of your days, and the gap between your reality and your theology, you have dumped all the goodies in the basket of the Eschaton. Trouble is, the Bible says joy is for now, not the afterlife. Afterlife, sure. But Galatians 5 is about earthly possessions.

Or maybe you have been waiting for God to give you joy, as you keep praying for it-little knowing that God has already given it to you and is waiting for you to take it. It is you who have held it at arm's length.

Nonsense! You say. Who would do that? Well, maybe someone who doesn't trust God enough to be joyful. Maybe someone who is into self-protection. Isn't it a kick in the head to find out the blockage was on your end all along, not God's?

Maybe I have done that most of my Christian life. Daring to be joyful is taking a risk that you won't fall flat on your face in 10 minutes, a risk that God is about to pull the rug out from under you. Better to be like the dwarves of Narnia and not allow either happiness or sorrow in your breast; just stay at an even keel.

Or perhaps it is none of these. You will not have joy today because you are an honest person and it is hypocritical to feign joy when you don't feel it. Or you will say that trying to conjure up joy is works righteousness. But you can forget that argument too because God commands joy (Philippians 4:4). It isn't hypocrisy or legalism to obey what God commands.

"Well, rejoicing is different from having joy," you say. "The first is an act of worship, the second an emotion-and we have no control over our emotions." But consider this: What if when we press into His commands, He meets us with a matching grace? What if the fullness of His gracious provisions is directly related to our obedient response?

To dare to have joy is to engage in an active refutation of all the demonic arguments against it. To dare to have joy is to pop off, one by one, all the reasons the devil is telling you that you have a right to be a depressed-the insult someone gave you, your economic uncertainties, you failures, your regrets, your lost loves, your unfulfilling marriage.

Scripture says to "take captive" all those hellish thoughts and to "demolish every argument" that raises itself against God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Talking vigorous truth to lying thoughts and feelings is a way we make a start on joy. I do it out loud sometimes, but that's just me. However you do it, have joy today. I double-dare you.

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