I Choose Fun
“…Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 (New Living Translation, NLT)
…And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Nehemiah 8:10 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition, AMPC)
I have decided to pursue a life that is fun. I realized that I had allowed the devil to steal my joy, and as a result, I had become weak; mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I am going to find a way to have fun, even when I go through difficulties. When I say a life that is fun, I don’t mean a life that is irresponsible, fleshly, or crazy. I simply mean that I am going to be positive and find the joy in each situation. I am going make an effort to approach life in the same way I did as a child; expecting it to be fun.
The Bible tells us that the joy we get from being in relationship with God gives us strength. So, when we let the enemy steal our joy, it makes us weak and easier to overcome. It is a key strategy of the devil. He tries to use everyday cares to erode our joy, and then he throws in some bigger hardships such chronic illness, divorce, unexpected bills, the death of a loved one, or a major workplace issue to attempt to totally plunge us into a negative outlook. A loss of joy can affect every aspect of life, especially relationships. However, it really impacts faith. Negative thinking is the foundation of fear and doubt, which work against faith. This is a bad place to be, because without faith, we can’t involve God in our situation.
The good news is, we can reverse this. We can regain our joy and our strength, once again enjoying a life that is fun.
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 (New International Version, NIV)
This tells us that joy is found in the presence of God. When we enter the presence of God, it brings joy and counteracts negativity. We must consciously decide to do this. When his enemies had burned his town, and taken everything from him and his men, David had to encourage himself in the Lord (I Samuel 30:6). This was a conscious decision on his part. He did it by choosing to remember what God had already done on his behalf. He did it by thinking on the promises of God. He rehearsed past victories and meditated on Scripture. He praised God for what He had done and would do.
We can enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise. Even if things look terrible, we can give Him praise. Even if we are sick, we can praise the Lord. We can praise Him when we don’t feel like it, then eventually, our feelings will change and the praise will flow naturally. Also, the devil hates it when we praise God, so it brings us into God’s presence, plus it sends the devil packing. Once we are in God’s presence, He can minister to us and reinsert joy into our hearts.
Daily, we can choose to have fun by maintaining a proper outlook. Numerous times each day we have the opportunity to get discouraged, angry, or depressed. We must be on guard against this, and instead of discouragement, we must choose to encourage ourselves like David did. Instead of anger, we must choose to walk in patience. Instead of depression, we must choose optimism and expect a good outcome. At various points throughout the day, find a way to insert something fun. Even at work, we can do something fun such as thinking of something funny we experienced, or singing softly to ourselves, or telling a joke to our coworkers. And when we choose to have fun, we become fun. As a result, our good attitude spreads to others. Then, before you know it, the whole atmosphere shifts and becomes joy-filled and positive.
Life really can be fun, but we have to choose it. Positivity, joy, and a fun-filled attitude makes life better for us and for those around us. I choose fun. How about you?
