joy 5

What does joyful behavior look like? Paul goes on to explain (Phil 4:8), “Finally, brothers, 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.” Shifting our thinking process from anger and all its companions to these things that are excellent and praiseworthy gives a new perspective on life and sees the abundance of this fruit called joy.

The process begins by accepting that truth is not what our anger and self-pity seek to define it. Instead truth aspires to qualities such as nobility as illustrated by our earlier discussion of gentleness. Truth not merely seeks what is right but what is righteous. God had the right to destroy us because of our sin. He chose to do what was righteous and sacrificed his only Son for our sin so that we could be made right with him through faith. Truth delights in forgiveness because it is through forgiveness that purity is possible. Truth does not confuse love and lust thus seeing creation through new eyes. Finally, truth seeks not the admiration of the world but the approval of God. These things are excellent and praiseworthy. These are the things to which we are to shift our thoughts when anger would drive out joy.

Paul sees joy as more than a way of thinking for he goes on to say (Phil 4:9), “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.” This goes back to what was said earlier about choosing friends and associates. It is good for us to think about the things Paul listed above, but it is powerful when we connect ourselves with others who think the same way. This moves the ideas and concepts we have of joy into everyday living. Paul modeled the joyful life for the Philippians. It is important to find examples who will model the joyful life, learn from them, receive from them, hear from them, see in them the truth described earlier, and then put it into practice.

Finally, joy produces contentment. Paul says in verse twelve, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” Paul’s secret is well expressed in the Serenity Prayer of A.A.

God grant me the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

What a wonderful prayer for those who struggle with anger and seek to practice joy.