Got Change?نموونە

YET, I WILL REJOICE

Everywhere you turn, this is what you see – advertisements, billboards and pop-up ads on your devices that claim you need to own a product, or that you need to be a certain way in order to be happy.

Everyone wants to be happy. And they are willing to do or buy anything, or go anywhere to achieve ‘happiness’. It’s what the world holds in high value, the pursuit of one’s own happiness - whatever the cost, no morals required.

In fact, happiness is valued so highly nowadays that a few countries of the world have even set up their own ‘Ministry of Happiness’ to gauge the happiness of its citizens, and develop national policies to ensure that they create an ideal environment for people to be happy.

Everyone is led to believe that we can be joyful only when our circumstances are perfect, when we have exactly what we want, and when we can, without a doubt, say that when all is well, we are happy.

But as a disciple of Christ, we need to realize that joy is much more than an emotional state that we are in only when everything is going well. In fact, because of the constant bombardment of the distorted understanding that joy comes only when life is perfect, the Christian believer, like everyone else, is often deflated, defeated and depressed in times of trouble.

Jesus said in John 16:33, ‘In this world, you will have trouble…’ That’s almost like a disclaimer for life on earth – you will have trouble, whether you are in Christ or not. But the hope that we have is what separates us from the world, and that is why Jesus goes on to say, ‘But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ It is this hope, it is this promise, it is this assurance that gives us the source of our joy – Jesus Christ, no matter what the circumstance.

We must remember that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). The number of Christians who are suffering from depression is staggering, and the need to overcome it is great. This is not an impossible task, for our joy does not come from the world where things are temporary, but our joy comes from the Lord, who is permanent.

The CHALLENGE to Change:

We are called to rejoice. We are called to be joyful in hope, whether in times of blessing, or affliction. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Choose today to rejoice no matter what and recognize the ploy of the enemy in stealing that joy – refuse to give it up.