It's a Choice

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."  (Ephesians 4:31 ESV)

Before you jump to conclusions, let me hasten to clarify that this post is not about the Congress or about government shut-downs or about anything political.  Not really.

But I will go ahead and confess that they (the Congress) and politicians (on both sides of the aisle) and pundits have been the source (more accurately, one of the sources) of my irritation in recent days.  I have started and stopped, and written and rewritten this post so many times I have lost count.  I have written and deleted this post until I am sick of it. It's hard to write about joy when you're so irritated, so un-joyful.  But I think I need to write about all this, if for no other reason than that it may help me to get my joy back.

There's a difference between happiness and joy.  Happiness is based on circumstances.  Joy is a condition of the soul, something deep within, and is not based on circumstances.  Our joy is rooted in our relationship with the Lord.  However, sometimes circumstances overwhelm us to such a degree that not only do we lose our happiness, but occasionally our joy gets lost as well.

Late yesterday I found myself in such a situation.  I allowed myself to be so consumed with bitterness and anger and irritation that my joy was definitely gone missing.  Irritation with politicians and pundits played a part.  A dispute between my satellite company and the media company that owns the local TV station which airs my favorite show (NCIS) was the match that started the fire.  When I realized that I wouldn't be able to watch that show last night because we no longer have access to that network, at least until the greedy decision-makers on both sides of the dispute work things out (sounds a lot like the Congress, doesn't it?!), I was beyond irritated.  I was so angry.  And angrier that the situation was completely out of my control.

Which is ridiculous, really.  It's only a TV show.  Yes, it's my favorite show.  But still, why would I let that rob me of my joy?  And the truth is, I let it.  It was an act of the will.  I could have, by another act of my will, chosen to respond differently.  But I didn't.  And this morning I feel silly.  And ashamed of myself.  Everything I had written yesterday, about being joyful in spite of circumstances, had to be tossed out.  Because, at the very least, it would be hypocritical of me to tell you that circumstances shouldn't affect your joy if I wasn't going to "practice what I preach"!

This morning I'm convicted by the verse that began this post.  And by the verses around it.  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger.......be put aside." That's a very specific instruction.  And we have a choice.  Do we put them aside or not?  If we don't, I can tell you from personal experience, our joy is affected.  Bitterness and anger can take over, if we let them.

Today I choose not to allow any of the sources of irritation I'm currently experiencing to take over my thinking.  Certainly, the circumstances do not change just because I make that decision.  Politicians haven't changed.  Greedy media types are still greedy.  But my attitude has changed.  Because I choose to change it.  No matter what others may think or do or say, I choose joy.

And that, my friends, makes all the difference.

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."  (Ephesians 4:30-32 ESV)