How to Have Joy When It’s Stupid

James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy.”

When life is handing out hard knocks, how do you count like that?

Seriously, what is there to be so happy about?

Someone said: “it’s not happiness, it’s joy. Happiness depends upon happenings. Joy is eternal.”

What is there to be joyful about?

The Bible talks about Jesus so stressed before the crucifixion, he was literally sweating blood.

But despite His stress, “for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).

What was the joy?!

I believe Jesus knew the greater purpose, His Father’s heart in sending Him to die. For that, He had joy in it. In that, He endured the cross.

What’s the purpose of where God has you? Some people can go through a dealing, and it is just a torment.

Others can have that same experience, and yet behold God.

What’s the difference?

Perspective.

For instance, I heard of a cool optical illusion on a street called Via Padova in Milan, Italy.

To look at it initially, you might only see a few bright yellow circles and triangles in odd places.

But perspective matters.

You have to stand at just the right angle, before you suddenly see it.

Have joy requires us to know the heart of the One providing the dealing. That takes a deliberate choice to see that perspective.

I read about someone, Keith, having a hard time. God was dealing him; he knew it. But he also knew he had a choice how he viewed what was happening to him.

So Keith asked himself:

"What would I do if this was literally the best thing that ever happened to me?"

Right in the middle of his trial, Keith deliberately started dancing. He didn't feel like it at all, but he knew he needed to.

The trial passed, but he retained a valuable lesson.

That word really ministered to me when I heard it.

Later that same day, I was cooking up corn dogs for family and friends.

I had a specialty type of hot dog, very fancy.

As I dipped it in batter and deep fried it, the batter started "blowing up" or separating from the hot dog, practically ruining it.

As I fried more of them, it happened over and over again. I changed different things as I fried, trying to understand why the dogs were blowing up.

As the fifth expensive corn dog blew up yet again in my hot oil, I started to get frustrated.

I remembered the word the brother had shared, however, and I knew: okay, this is where I need to apply it.

I literally started to thank God for it as I pulled yet another expensive corn dog, freshly ruined, out of my hot oil:

"God, thank You so much that these corn dogs are turning out awful.

“Thank You that they aren't turning out near as good as I was hoping. Thank You that I feel like I'm ruining these. I know you'll give me wisdom on how to proceed. Thank You, God."

Frustration had no place any longer.

As I kept thanking God, He quickened me on how to deal with the situation. I gave the "ruined" corn dogs to a few of my less discerning friends.

God quickened me to cut the rest of the expensive corn dogs smaller, and after I did that, they turned out perfect.

It even stretched the corn dogs so more people got to try them.

A few days later, I was milling deck boards. It was cold, and the boards were made from a dense wood that was twice as heavy as a typical board.

I was struggling to get a straight edge on them, and, try as I might, I kept running into issues.

The wind began kicking up. I was losing patience with the job when God brought the word back to my heart.

"God, thank You for the cold. Thank You for how heavy these 12' boards are. Thank You for how many issues I'm running into here."

As I kept thanking God, my gratitude got more specific.

“God, thank You for the endurance and patience You are teaching me.

“Thank You for teaching me to be more than an overcomer in You, who loves us. “

“Thank You that patience is having her perfect work. Thank You for teaching me to keep my eyes on You, no matter what the situation is. Thank You, God."

The situation changed in front of me. I watched how joy entered into the situation, and frustration left.

I was talking to a young lady who dealt with migraines.

They were so intense, she was seeking an operation to remedy the headaches.

She even spoke about the power of singing, and how singing was the only thing that saved her mom when her mom nearly died from Covid.

But when I asked her if she ever sang when the migraines began, she thought it was a weird question.

"No, I don't feel like singing much," she said.

"I understand that," I said. "But I believe you need to sing.

“The Bible says that for a spirit of heaviness, put on a garment of praise. (Isaiah 61:3)

“It also says that we enter Heaven's gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. Singing is incredibly powerful. Many times our attacks are not just physical; they are spiritual."

Joy is more than a feeling; it’s a choice.

Singing is a powerful, deliberate way of choosing to refocus our hearts on God.

His Joy fills the moment, and “the things of earth grow strangely dim”, as the old song says,

Recently, I started getting vexed by the little things again.

I knew: I need to just change the channel.

Like changing the station on the radio or a TV station in my head. Just switch it off.

So I deliberately took my mind off of it and started praising God, pouring out love songs to the Lord all day.

By the end of a day, I had a glorious testimony of seeing God's hand in my life, and I also had joy.

Look for God’s hand and purpose today and embrace it.

And choose joy!

That’s where the kingdom of God is!