Principle #1: Recall Happy Memories

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi, he was full of joy—but he was also in chains. Yes, that’s what I said: The number one book on joy in the Bible was written by a guy in prison!

A man in prison has a lot to be unhappy about, yet through his letter to his friends at Philippi, Paul taught us that our joy is not dependent upon our circumstances. Rather, our joy comes from the divine purpose and contentment we discover in our relationship with the Father. The purpose of my book The Joy Challenge is to look at twenty of the principles of happiness we can learn from Paul’s treatise of joy—several of which we will briefly discuss in this devotional.

Paul started out his letter with some familiar lines: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy” (Philippians 1:2–4). Paul’s word for joy appears sixteen times in the book of Philippians, and his first usage was reserved for the joy he experienced upon thinking of his friends at a church that supported his work. Put another way, the Philippians put a sparkle in Paul’s eye, and it gave a jolt to his joy. Through his writings, he was now doing the same for them.

When Paul prayed with joy by thanking God for the people in his life, he was recalling happy memories. This is our first joy principle—something I also refer to as “joy conditioning.” As he prayed throughout the day, Paul chose to think upon the people who had made his life better and enriched his divine mission. As he relived the experiences in his mind—the sights, the smells, the sounds—he whispered a word of thanks to God for them. This practice could only increase his joy—a joy that was not dependent upon his comfort or even his freedom.

Reflect: Who are the Philippians in your life? When is the last time you spent time praying with joy by thanking God for them?

Pray: Dear God, thank you for the people who have supported me and loved me. May I be reminded often of how they are blessings to me. Amen.