When Paul wrote these words to the church at Ephesus, he was cautioning against bitterness, anger, clamor, slander, malice, and corrupting talk. Certainly a list of ugliness that would grieve our Heavenly Father who gave sacrificed His Son for us out of love. But when I read the verse I was convicted over how my attitude over these past several weeks have grieved the spirit. I have allowed joy to be a stranger to me. In my mind, each and every possible work related challenge has become a career-ending disaster. A small oversight will result in professional apocalypse.
It is spring. Trees bursting forth with new growth. Birds strutting their stuff to impress the opposite sex. Even rains are creating beautiful cloud formations. Health, finances, marriage: all in a good place. My life is full of blessings. But I am walking around like Joe Btfsplk from L'il Abner.
Just like our earthly fathers, God wants His children to have joy. He desires for us to bask in His love, to revel in His goodness, to rejoice in His blessings. When I spend my days wringing my hands of real or imagined problems, I am denying His love, provision, and protection. How it must hurt Abba to know I am walking around in a funk, waking up worrying, and allowing anxiety to be a constant companion. Some of Jesus' final words in John were, " Peace I leave with you. Let not your hearts be troubled."
When Paul lists the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit in the fifth chapter of Galatians, joy is second in the list. If the attributes are listed in order of importance, then love is the only item listed ahead of joy. This places a great deal of emphasis on joy.
So, what do to? Paul encourages every Believer to "take every thought captive". (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV) The mind is the battle ground for joy. Depression, melancholy, and anxiety are not from God. I fight against "spiritual forces of evil" not against "against flesh and blood". (Ephesians 6:10 ESV) In 1 Corinthians Paul wrote, "I discipline my body and keep it under control", so too I must discipline my mind to keep it under control also.
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