My New Year’s tradition has become finding a word of the year that expresses my hope and shapes my thinking for the months ahead. This year I have settled on the phrase, Choose Joy. I believe that I may be running a low-grade depression, like most everyone I encounter these days, because of the dreariness of a constant stream of bad news everywhere. I need a refocus for 2025. It is always appropriate to grieve, cry, and face sadness, just like any of the other emotions we experience every day. I just want to remind myself to choose joy as often as possible.
Joy is a choice of rebellion against the doom-scrollers. Joy is radical when the crowds around you wallow in the muck of tedious complaints. Joy is not necessarily optimism, but optimists look for the joy. Winston Churchill is often quoted as saying, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” I clipped an article once on The Seven Qualities of an Optimist: 1) They express gratitude. 2) They donate their time and energy. 3) They are interested in others. 4) They surround themselves with up-beat people. 5) They do not listen to naysayers. 6) They forgive others. 7) They smile.
Optimist is not a Biblical word, but joy is. To me the seven qualities listed here reflect a Biblical lifestyle of joy and faith. Those who live by faith, joy, and hope express gratitude to God and others every single day. They donate their time, energy and money in service and ministry. They are genuinely interested in their neighbors. They surround themselves with likeminded believers and mentors. They pray about the critics and the discouragers. They forgive and forgive. And they take joy in walking everyday with their Lord. This is more than positive thinking; it is confident living. It is more than seeing the opportunity; it is embracing the very call of God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Choose joy. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.
Share this webpage:
