Joy and Peace

   I have been meditating long on these verses, have memorized them over the years and taught them to my children, but it's consistent application has often illuded me. 

Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness,  gentleness, moderation, considerateness, be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I've talked a lot about peace being a matter of perspective, where or on Whom one sets his mind, but it's also where, or on what one sets his joy.  What satisfies, thrills, delights me?  Is my primary joy fellowship with God, living in the light of His pleasure and presence and letting Him alone satisfy my need to find joy, rest in something?  Or do I misplace my celebrations in fleeting, temporary or illusive things like checking something off my to-do list, my childrens' good behavior, relationships going well, a clean house... Don't get me wrong, these are good things and we should enjoy these things, walk in gratitude for them, but that's the key - gratitude brings us back to the central, faithful, unchanging Pleasure, Giver of these transient gifts - pointing us back to that which is intransitive - stands alone.  He is the object, the Real thing, the end and the beginning not a means to an end or a dependent or situational factor.  Setting primary joy, satisfaction on any lesser thing, will inevitable lead to anxiety.  Because we are made for joy, it is our endless drive - to run after pleasure.  When we find and satisfy that in God, we have unshakeable peace.  When we seek to satisfy it in temporary things, accomplishments, people, we wrap ourselves up in anxiety over whether this will pan out, whether our to-do list will be checked off, our children happy/obedient, our relationships satisfying, our goals, needs, desires met. The good or pleasure in these things is only meant to further solidify our Joy in that which nothing and no-one can take away.  This focus, satisfaction in Supreme Joy, settles us, secures us, quiets us deep down at our core from which every other thought and action flow. 
   Do you notice that when you're anxious about things, your responses aren't the gentlest?  I know when I'm anxious, I get rough around the edges, easily riled up, tend to talk in shorter, clipped, frustrated tones because the anxiety makes me "at capacity".  I can't handle other negative stimulus or sometimes any other stimulus at all because my internal negative stimulus is leaving me all tied up in knots, stretched thin and one other thing could cause me to snap.  Anxiety causes us to live in extremes.  We become pendulums swinging from frustration and fear to transient satisfaction.  Rightly appropriated joy centers us in unshakeable peace- allows us to respond in gentleness, live out a life if moderation, be reasonable/rational in our thinking, considerate of others needs rather than our own.  It shifts our attention from focusing on our own needs and fulfillment  to blessing others because our own craving for joy has been supremely and forever satisfied.  And a life like this cannot go unnoticed.  In a world seeking pleasure in every other thing, one satisfied, gentled by satiation is evident to all.

  This is possible because God is not a God far off, illusive and disagreeable or intangible.  He is near at hand, closer than our next breath. If He's close enough to know when a sparrow falls, close enough to clothe the dawn in brilliant colors, He's close enough to satisfy, to meet us in our broken, messy places and provide an unshakeable constant, a deep, undrainable well of joy and reason to rejoice. 
  I hear these things, see them, write them and still find myself asking, "Yes, that's all great... but how?"  I think the answer to that lies in repitition, practice, reminding ourselves as many times and as often as it takes until it becomes habit, second nature.  Until we have come to see and be so satisfied in that Joy that we no longer go searching for it elsewhere because we have tapped and retapped it and found it to never grow old or run dry.  Gratitude plays a large roll too - to be continued...

1. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
   All ye that are upright in heart;
   And ye that have made Him your choice,
   Bid sadness and sorrow depart.
   • Refrain:
     Rejoice, rejoice,
     Be glad in the Lord and rejoice;
     Rejoice, rejoice,
     Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.
2. Be joyful, for He is the Lord
   On earth and in Heaven supreme;
   He fashions and rules by His word—
   The “Mighty” and “Strong” to redeem.
3. What though in the conflict for right
   Your enemies almost prevail?
   God’s armies, just hid from your sight,
   Are more than the foes which assail.
4. Though darkness surround you by day,
   Your sky by the night be o’ercast,
   Let nothing your spirit dismay,
   But trust till the danger is past.
5. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
   His praises proclaiming in song;
   Let gratefulness give all a voice,
   The loud hallelujahs prolong!
6. Be Glad - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir      Song - Be Glad in the Lord and rejoice African style