Denise Fawcett Facey

Rejoice!

What makes you happy? Stop for a moment and think about the things from which you derive genuine joy. What pleasurable pursuits, enjoyable people, delicious treats or simply good experiences just fill you with delight? Now, try this quick exercise: write down the first ten that come to mind.

If you engaged in this little exercise, are you smiling already? It wouldn’t be surprising. Developing your list of joyful things can make you feel just as cheerful as if you were experiencing them right now. Perhaps you even found that, given a bit more time, your list could be far more extensive than a mere ten items.

My own list includes warm sunny days, laughing babies, sandy beaches, flowers for no special occasion, musicals (The Sound of Music and West Side Story come to mind) . . . and I could go on like this for quite some time. Merely thinking about these things makes me happy! And, yes, I’m smiling, too.

Besides the self-indulgence intrinsic to a few minutes of smile-inducing fun, this activity does have another point. It underscores the influence of our thoughts. We’re in good spirits right now because we’re thinking happy thoughts. Perhaps this is because, as Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJ). Thoughts are, indeed, powerful.

The fact is, we tend to absorb whatever state of mind our thoughts direct. This is not to say that our thoughts control every aspect of who we are, but rather to highlight the importance of being mindful of our thoughts. For just as easily as pondering happiness produced smiles just a few moments ago, dwelling on negativity and difficulty produces the opposite state of mind.

Think about it. When you’ve had a hard day, venting about it once can be cathartic; but continuing to rehash the events only deepens your irritability. Or, having just come through a trying experience, if you repeatedly recount the details of your battle, it serves only to increase your battle fatigue. And reliving every ache and pain of illness, simply prolongs your misery.

Focusing our thoughts on our unpleasant and painful experiences drains the joy out of life, even if joy is what we actually long to have. Instead, the Bible tell us, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

That’s a recipe for joy! This Scripture tells us how to direct our thoughts: dwell on the good things in life and joy will follow. And the wonder of it is that turning our minds toward happiness really is not difficult.

Now, this is not naïveté. Opting not to concentrate on our problems doesn’t mean ignoring them. Rather, it's choosing not to make life’s hard times our obsession. Because the truth is, while we all must face our troubles, we need not remain mired in them. Instead, let’s “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4, NIV). In so doing, those joyful thoughts produce joy in our hearts and lives. And the difficulties in life no longer take center stage.

Having just listed several joyful experiences, we know what makes us happy. With this in mind, let's bring our lists to fruition. Whatever pursuits make your heart sing, “think on these things” and then, do them. Now is the time to infuse our lives with this happiness and joy on a regular basis.

So, as I review my list, I'm adding to it. Most of the items listed are free and almost none are expensive. Therefore, I’m going to start doing them more often. And as you peruse your list, you’re likely to find the same. Knowing this, we really have no reason not to include at least one smile-provoking, happiness-inducing item every day.

Rather than retell the battles, let’s rejoice in the victories. Life is good, if we choose to think of it this way. So, let’s find reasons to rejoice every day.

“I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NIV)