Incurable Joy
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
This last week I was watching a show with Michael J. Fox in it called, “The Incurable Optimist” and a lot of it I wanted to apply to my Christian walk. The world has some great ideas about hope, joy, and happiness. I pray that we do not let them outshine us. May we see what David wrote in the Psalms and apply it to our daily way of thinking. May we wake up each morning and rejoice in the day God has given us. Our days on this earth are numbered, the very breaths that we take have been given to us by God, and the opportunities we have to share the hope God has given us through Jesus Christ are slipping away. We need to cease every opportunity we are given to share the hope that is within us and live with an incurable joy. May the world look at us and see that we have a joy that can’t be shaken.
Michael J. Fox claims to be an “Incurable Optimist.” He has been fighting Parkinson’s disease for a good portion of his life and has decided to not let the disease affect the way he sees life. I loved one of his quotes in the show which was simply, “I didn’t have to let the terms of the disease define me; I could redefine the terms.”
What is defining who you are every day? Is it time to redefine the terms? Are you letting the hope of who you are in Jesus change your outlook on life? Are you having joy every day? Does the world look at you and see a definition of true happiness?
The “Incurable Optimist” takes us on a journey through quite a few lives that have found a way to be happy. He starts with Lance Armstrong, a survivor of cancer who goes on to win the le Tour de France 7 times. He motivates others through his foundation “Live Strong.” He got back up again, even after cancer tried to invade his body in four different areas. He is a cyclist and inspires many to live strong. The second person Michael J. Fox visits is a man who hands out newspapers near a subway. This man is full of joy. He talks about eye to eye contact being very important and every day being an opportunity for happiness. Happiness is contagious, it’s an opportunity to connect with people. Wow, if the world can do it, can’t we?
Then Michael goes on to visit some farmers. He finds out that happiness comes through working together. Dairy farms find joy by coming together and helping each other. They are not concerned about being better than the farm next to them, they are concerned about making the best product they can together. So far, Michael has visited a hero, a local vendor, and a nearby farm. Now he goes a little farther. He goes to Bhutan. A country many have not heard about, but fortunately I have. A friend of mine brought this country to my attention a few years ago. I have been praying for it ever since. Michael visited it because it is known for it’s outlook on life. Do you know that instead of having a Gross National Product, Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Policy? It’s true!
In 2006, Bhutan was rated as the happiest country in Asia and the eighth happiest country in the world. How would you like to be known as a person who lived in the happiest country in the world? Happiness is not measured upon wealth in Bhutan, it’s measured on relationships and culture. They have a great amount of happiness and a majority of them do not even know Jesus. How much more should we have true happiness when we know Jesus? Should we not display this happiness in our lives?
What will it take for Christians to have this Happiness that the world seems to have? What will it take for us to have an “Incurable Joy?” Will you wake up with a desire to simply REJOICE in the day that the Lord has made? May we give the world something to look at and be curious about. May we leave them in awe of the Creator and His creation! God is the One who gives TRUE Joy, TRUE Hope, and TRUE Happiness!
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Dear Father God, I pray that the world will be left speechless when we as Christians step up to the plate. May we have a sense of “Incurable Joy” inside of us because of what Your Son has done for us! May we live with an eternal perspective always in sight and hope that can’t be shaken! May our lives overflow with happiness that comes from You our loving Father. It’s in You that we have a reason to wake up and rejoice every morning!
Living with Incurable Joy,
We as Christians or should I say Children of God we have Joy! But most of us look to Joy as the world sees Joy. And that is why most saints don’t seem to have joy..I know challenges and struggles come our way but Jesus said we are not exempt from them but our JOY can not be about how we feel today or tomorrow our JOY must be in Knowing In Whom We believe IN!
I absolutely agree. Joy is not a feeling we get. Joy is a response to who we live for. The apostle Paul understood this as he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” ~Philippians 4:4 His circumstances didn’t really call for rejoicing, as he was sitting in a prison cell. It was his heart focused in on the Savior that responded in joy. He continually found himself responding to the Lord with joy through his circumstances. I pray we can learn how to rejoice through any and every circumstance. May we find God’s faithfulness developing our character even through the grimmest of circumstances. In this, we should rejoice! God is Faithful!