Don't Be Surprised by "Anti-Joy"

Is it just me or is anyone else experiencing what I would call "anti-joy"?

I knew this day was coming. I shouldn't be surprised. Yet it still snuck up on me. Before I began this blog, I knew I was going to write about this subject.

In our pursuit to plant, cultivate, and reap joy in our lives there comes a day(s) when everything in life seems to fight against us achieving our goal. Stress, discouragement, depression, misunderstandings, anger, sadness, grief, arguments, disagreements, crankiness, disappointments, and sorrow are a few emotions and events that I would put in the anti-joy category. Maybe you are experiencing one or all of these as of late. Don't be surprised that such things would happen.

Remember Jesus' parable about the sower scattering seeds?

¹⁶And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; ¹⁷And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away. Mark 4:16-17 AMP

Why did trouble or persecution come? On account of the word. It's a promise. It's something to be expected no matter what type of soil, no matter the condition of your heart. It's a fact of life.

We can replace the words "trouble or persecution," in that verse with "test."Everyone is familiar with that concept: after you learn something new, you take a test on it. So, on "account of the word" a test will come.  It is a test to see if you believe what you've been reading. It is a test of your faith.

I noticed it over last weekend. I was feeling stressed and as if I had a short fuse. Then I thought, "oh this is to be expected." That helped to me relax.

The Book of James tells us what to do in these situations:

² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-3 NLT

"Let it grow."  I like that. You know I'm going to have to start saying that phrase. :-) But here's the deal: consider this is an opportunity for great joy! Well, there's a joy scripture that I did not include in the joy booklet. Now that's going to take a transformed mind to consider a test an opportunity for joy. But then again it's not too much of a stretch. When you studied and were prepared in school, you could tell the teacher "bring it" at test time. You wanted to prove that you learned your lesson, right? So be ready when your test comes. Your reward is that your patience will grow and you will be complete (mature, promotable) and not needing help with every little thing.

As you are pursuing joy, know that anti-joy is going to come on account of the Word. Now you won't be caught off guard.

¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV

So, if I may take the liberty to rewrite one of the Shirelles' songs:

Jesus said there'll be days like this,
There'll be days like this Jesus said
(Jesus said, Jesus said)
Jesus said there'll be days like this,
There'll be days like this my Jesus said
(Jesus said, Jesus said)