Every Friday
Make the Choice to Rejoice
By J.D. Greear
In Mary’s song, those whom you would naturally think of as blessed are not: “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:51-53 ESV).
There is nothing wrong with dreams, riches, and positions of power. The problem is when you magnify them and they become your source of identity and pride. At that point, you have given them glory.
How do you know when you’ve brought something besides Christ to this level? Look at what Mary said when she heard the news from the angel and was put in the worst possible circumstances for a 17-year-old girl at the time: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47 ESV).
Those two statements are connected. Whatever you magnify, you rejoice in. What has to be true in your life for you to rejoice?
Jared Wilson says in Gospel Wakefulness, “An old man may not give two cents about the gospel, but he sure knows he feels really good when his grandkids come over. Men who sit through church services absolutely unmoved by songs and teaching … you’re only [in church] because your wife demands it. But this afternoon you’ll leap off the couch when your team scores a touchdown.
“[Some young women] feel complacent when they read the Bible but light up when there are sales at the mall, who will look for hours online at clothes they can’t afford but can’t spend 15 minutes in prayer talking to the God of all surpassing glory who has given himself to them in Christ.”
Joy should function like a smoke alarm in your life. If you don’t have joy right now, it’s likely that the source of your joy has moved from God to some lesser blessing.
The Bible says in Habakkuk 3:17-19, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.”
You don’t always feel like rejoicing like that. This Christmas, you can choose.
You can choose to say: In Christ, I can lose all that I have, because in Christ is all that I need.
You are blessed and highly favored because God’s presence and promises are with you. That’s all you need, regardless of your external circumstances, to rejoice this Christmas.
Reflections
In what area of the Christmas season do you least feel like rejoicing? How can you apply God’s blessing to that area so that you are reminded to choose joy?
Can you say with conviction that this statement is true: “In Christ, I can lose all that I have, because in Christ is all that I need”? Why or why not?
Prayer
Pray that God would reveal to you the places in your life where you have magnified something less than his glory and for the courage to choose joy, no matter your circumstances.