I feel like I’m reinventing the wheel, given the gargantuan amount of written content today on joy, thankfulness, etc. However, I still hope this article is helpful to those who are most dear to me. And, perhaps, to an expanded circle of brothers and sisters someday in the future.
I have lived a felicitous life in many ways. From a worldly or physical perspective, I have always had good health and a stellar amount of energy. I have never gone without basic needs (food, shelter, family protection), nor have I ever gone without less basic needs (access to the Internet, access to high quality food/water/belongings, numerous comforts, etc.).
From a spiritual perspective, I have never gone without believing parents and siblings, daily personal Bible reading, daily family worship, solid weekly church teaching, an abundance of books and resources on theology and practical ways to live out a Christian life, friends to sharpen me and hold me accountable, etc.
It may seem that, given my life up to this point, there would be no reason for me not to be joyful—like Satan said of Job before his testing. However, joy is not based on our circumstances but on God’s word and commands. Though many things may have been “easy” for me, I believe God can and will give anyone joy, just like Paul had in his extreme trials.
Growing up, I was aware of my blessings. I would frequently consider my life and count myself as the single most blessed individual I knew. It was not from a place of pride, though I have certainly struggled with that as well—it was from a true and real accounting of what God had given me, with the ever-increasing realization as I matured of the incredible abundance of not only physical, but spiritual blessings in Christ.
When I became a teenager, I started to see more shortcomings in myself and my parents, and became bitter about a number of sins our family had—because previously, I’d thought my parents were basically perfect. But my middle name was still Joy, and despite my new awareness of sin and difficulty, I continued to hold the position that I was the most blessed person I knew.
My habits of joyfulness started as a young child, from the Holy Spirit’s conviction in my heart about living true to my middle name; and from my parents’ training of thankfulness, their own example of looking at life in a positive way, and their teaching that “God works all things for good” (Romans 8:28).
God preserved those habits, despite my sin in not cultivating them as much as I should have, and used them to lay the foundation for my current general positive outlook on life. I know many who struggle with anxiety, depression, lack of motivation, and worry. I have gone through short seasons of all of those states, but by God’s grace my “down” seasons have never lasted long. I hope that this article brings awareness to my dear friends of how our state of mind is either glorifying or not glorifying to God, as well as some practical ways I’ve found to build mindset-changing habits of joy.