Philippians is often referred to as the epistle of joy. Fourteen times in this short book we find the words “joy” and “rejoice.” Paul rejoices and he calls his readers to rejoice. Which raises the question:

Are you a joyful person?

I’ve been wrestling with that question for the past week, and I invite you to wrestle with it now: Are you a joyful person? If someone asked your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, the driver in front of you, and anyone else who has been around you lately, would they say that you are a joyful person?

And then here is a second question:

Where do you find your joy?

There are lots of places that people find joy: in family, in work, in activities, in the presents under the tree. And there is nothing wrong with finding joy in these places. But if those are the only places you find joy, you won’t be a joyful person. Because your family can be a wreck, you can have a bad day at work, that activity might be cancelled, and soon all those gifts will be unwrapped – and then where is your joy? If you find your joy in comfort, what happens when life is no longer comfortable? If you find your joy in your health, what happens when your health is gone? We can find joy in many places, but not lasting joy.

God calls us to be joyful people with a lasting joy that continues even in the midst of the trials and struggles of life. In the next few days we will look at where we can find lasting joy. But in the meantime:

Are you a joyful person?

Where do you find your joy?