Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #135

The Discipline of Joy

3:1a Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.

Does it seem strange to you that Paul commands the people to rejoice? Some people have no room in their thinking for the notion that feelings/emotions can be controlled. Since their feelings seem uncontrollable, they conclude that they are. But if we have no ability to control our feelings, then this is an absurd command.

And yet, on the other hand, it is clear in the Bible that true joy comes only from God. It is a fruit not of me but of God’s Spirit ("The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, etc." Gal.5:21). This is why real joy is "the joy of the Holy Spirit" (1Thes.1:6).

How can joy be both a command of God and a gift of God? In the same way that every command is a gift from God. If God doesn’t give what He requires then no one could ever obey. On our own, remember, all we do is sin. Obedience comes only by God’s work in us. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil.2:12-13)

But just because something is a gift from God doesn’t mean that it comes easy. God works in us to work toward the goal, but we do work, we do exert effort, many times MUCH effort.

So how does one work at joy? How can we strive to obey the command to rejoice?

The discipline of joy is like the discipline of a miser. As a miser goes to his money each day to count it, in order to remember how rich he is, so we ought to go to God’s word each day to count our blessings and remind ourselves of how rich we are in Him.

Joyless Christians are Christians who have forgotten the gospel, who have lost sight of the good news of the saving love of Christ for lost sinners. What Jesus has done is enough to make us unshakably joyful. But it’s very easy to be distracted by the tumult of this world and lose sight of Jesus, like Peter lost sight of Jesus when he walked on the water.

Father in heaven, thank You that You have poured out upon me so much blessing that it is enough produce abiding joy. Forgive me that Your abundant blessing has not always meant my abundant joy, for I often lose sight of Your plentiful grace and lose my joy. Help me to warm my cold heart in the fires of Your word every day. Help me to walk in the glorious light of the gospel perpetually . May the knowledge of Your sovereign love lift my countenance and may the song of Christ be ever sung in my heart.