Just Because

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

The year of our Lord two thousand twenty. It’s been something else, hasn’t it? I don’t think any of us could have predicted it would be quite this way. As I sat around the Thanksgiving table with my family and we reflected on what we were thankful for, for the first time it didn’t take as much effort for us to answer the question. There’s always the generic answer: health, family, and employment. And when you’ve said that year after year you try to get creative with your answer, but not this year. This year simply saying health, family and employment is more than so many (who just last year could say it) can say this year.

So this week, in light of that, I want to encourage you all to be Happy, just because. In the spirit of the Holiday season we have so much to be thankful for and grateful for and with all the turmoil happening around us, it can seem like a crime to smile. Like we should be so cognizantly aware of the hardships we and others are facing that we don’t have a right to be Happy. But that’s not how it works. The bible says “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) Not sometimes, but ALWAYS. And what that means for me is that I always have the right to have a Happy moment. It doesn’t mean (like we said last week) to fake Happiness unnecessarily, but when you ARE Happy, to embrace that. God didn’t give us life and put us here to be downtrodden all the time.

But what about when bad things happen? What about when people around us ARE suffering and things DO look bleak? Is it right to be Happy in those moments? How can I be sensitive to the suffering of others if I’m so focused on being Happy? Try thinking of it this way. Do you remember Noah? Noah was called by God to build the ark, and we know in that story that the entire world perished, besides those who were on the ark. Can you imagine what it had to be like on that boat for them? Knowing that all around them every soul outside their walls was perishing? I imagine it had to be somewhat depressing. I imagine at some moments they probably felt guilty for being chosen, because maybe they didn’t think they deserved it. And I imagine they mourned the loss of people they knew would have made a different choice if only they had believed. All of these feelings are valid, and ok to feel. But just like it’s ok for them to be sorrowful for the losses they witnessed, its also ok for them to rejoice in being chosen. Think about what would have happened if they chose Sadness instead of Joy after the flood withdrew? What would have happened to mankind? Would we even be here today? I’ll let you think on that.

So, be Happy, just because. Just because you woke up this morning. Just because you are healthy. Just because you are chosen. Just because you have another chance to get it right. Be happy, just because that’s what God wants for you, always. And it’s your right to be.