“Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
At our WCA graduation this past May, our keynote speaker, who is a nationally recognized oncologist and dad to three of our students, gave a stellar speech with this simple title: Smile, Laugh Often, Be Joyful Always. It was a refreshing message for our students and radically Biblical. I’ve thought about this message throughout the summer and share it with you today.
Smile: “A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” Proverbs 15:13
When you’re thankful, glad, and joyful, have you ever noticed it is hard not to have a smile on your face. And as Christians, it is God’s will for us to “give thanks in all circumstances,” sharing what God has done in us, for us, and through us in Christ. As followers of Christ, we have the light of Christ in us. In John 8:12, Jesus said:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The light of Christ brings the light of life, a thankful spirit, and a glad heart – and it should emote a cheerful and smiling face. Our graduation keynote speaker routinely makes hospital visits delivering sad and painful news to his patients. However, he decided years ago to always enter a room with a smile on his face bringing the hope, joy, and light of Christ to everyone. Application #1: Always enter a room with a smile on your face. Bring light to people’s lives. Be the light God has called you to be.
Laugh Often: “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” Psalm 126:2-3
God’s Word says in Ecclesiastes there is a season and a time for everything. There is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Although life is hard in many ways and brings moments of great sorrow, life also brings tremendous joy and countless times to laugh. Laughter does a person good and it has been proven to improve one’s health.
In recent studies, laughter has been shown to relax the body, boost the immune system, trigger the release of endorphins, burn calories, lighten an angry mood, and numerous studies have found that people with a strong sense of humor live longer than people that are more serious and don’t laugh as much, especially when battling cancer. “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Application #2: Laugh often and help those around you laugh, too.
Be Joyful Always: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4
Unspeakable joy only comes when a person knows Christ and is born again into the family of God. Just as there is a difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God, the goodness of man and the goodness of God, and the love of man and the love of God – there is a difference between the joy of man and the joy of God. One is natural and comes to all people, the other only comes from God by the power of the Holy Spirit to those who love Christ and are His children. As Christians, we receive the fruit of the Spirit and this supernatural fruit grows in our lives as we grow and are sanctified more and more in Christ. Listen to Galatians 5:22-23:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is poured out into our lives as we grow in Christ and the foundation of this fruit is the love of God (Agape love). Listen to Romans 5:5:
“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
When we believe in Jesus Christ and are born again into God’s family, God’s Spirit is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit and we grow in the fruit of the Spirit – God’s love, joy, and peace. This is how a Christian can “be joyful always” even when we walk through hard times in our lives. Application #3: Be joyful always and share God’s joy with everyone.
“Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
May God bless you with His grace, love, and truth!