C.S. Lewis once said that “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” By this, the famous 20th century Christian professor, author, and apologist meant that when we are finally with our Lord Joy will be ever with and in us and will define our existence forever.
That is not always the case in this life, however. From Jeremiah and Job in the Old Testament to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and Paul (and his companions) in Asia Minor in the New Testament, biblical figures dealt with times of great distress. The same could be said about Martin Luther, John Bunyon, and Charles Spurgeon in the Church Age, all great men of God who struggled with depression and other emotional adversities.
So perhaps the first rule of “Biblical positive thinking” is the recognition that our circumstances as well as our physical and emotional states make the maintenance of constant joy an impossibility in “this present darkness.” Still, we are repeatedly told by Scripture to rejoice, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we likely have a great deal of power to do just that. The question that must be asked is how is that power accessed? Next week we will begin to tackle how to know the answer…and to act on it.
Rejoice in the Lord Always. I will say it again, rejoice! -Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
