Joy is a choice

Joy is a choice

Tim Hansel’s book You Gotta Keep Dancin’ taught me that joy is a choice—in any situation. “Life can be tough,” Hansel writes. “Stress, disappointment, heartache, hurt—all are part of the human condition. But while pain is unavoidable, misery is optional.” I couldn’t choose whether or not to experience pain, but I could choose to be miserable or not.

For my son Daniel’s first three months, I was miserable because I focused on my situation and my pain. During the next three months, my focus shifted to God, and my misery disappeared. I experienced a never-before-encountered joy. God didn’t remove my problems—they were simply less ominous in comparison to His greatness, as my thoughts redirected completely to Him.

Day after day, Daniel’s health grew worse. Then, one day, our loving Lord removed his pain and physical deformities and made him perfect. Daniel was with Jesus. Tears mingled with joy.  We rejoiced that Daniel would live forever, pain-free and healthy. But we also grieved because he had touched our family unforgettably, and we missed him.

How can we discover true joy in the midst of difficulties? Joy doesn’t come from easy circumstances, but from a deep, settled confidence in our loving Heavenly Father who controls life’s details.

If you are experiencing challenges in your ministry or your personal life, we want to encourage you. There is true joy to be found, regardless of how overwhelming life may seem.

Read more in Keys to Joy: How to Unlock God’s Gift of Lasting Happiness

We are available to do training on discovering a deeper joy in life.

Excerpted from Unlocking Joy, a free eBook. Click the link to download it today.

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