Invictus Tenet #2: Joy
A tenet is a belief that is generally held to be true, especially when that belief is held in common by members of an organization. It is an idea that is very important to a group, and at Invictus we have 12 tenets. These 12 words are comprised of the 9 Fruits of the Spirit plus three additional words that we believe are integral to becoming a warrior. We have paired each tenet with a Bible verse that we believe best conveys the application of that tenet within a warrior mindset.
Our 12 tenets are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, integrity, perseverance, and respect. In this blog post, we’re talking about joy.
What is JOY?
If you ask the average person what joy is, they will probably give you this simple, one-word response: happiness. But did you know that joy is actually much different than happiness? Even though Merriam-Webster defines joy as, “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires,” we believe the definition is much different than that, and that joy is not just a feeling at all.
Webster 1828 Definition
If we look at how Webster defined the word joy back in 1828 when the heart and soul of our country was still wrapped in Scripture, we get a much better picture of what a biblical definition of joy is. While the full definition is very lengthy, this one statement sums it up very nicely:
Joy is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching of a good.
Notice this says nothing of feelings or emotions. It simply refers to a state of mind.
Notice this says nothing of success, possessions, or desires. It simply refers to good.
So, joy is a state of mind that is based on the presence or anticipation of good.
And that, my friends, is a choice.
While we may nor be able to choose our circumstances, we can absolutely choose how we look at them. And we can choose to be joyful even when we’re not happy. Psalm 118:24 is a beautiful illustration of why we should always be joyful, so let’s take a closer look at it.
Psalm 118:24
Look at the first part of this verse. It tells us that the Lord made today. This day. Every day. No matter what day it is, the Lord made it.
Next, look at the second part of the verse, we can rejoice (or be joyful) and be glad about today. This day. Every day. No matter what day it is, we can be joyful about it.
That means that God created every day, and that gives us a reason to choose joy. I know, I know. That doesn’t make a ton of sense on the surface. But stick with me. To really understand how this verse shows us why we should always be joyful, we need to pause and connect a few dots.
But first…
Before we start connecting dots, there are some things we need to remember.
First, we need to remember that joy is a state of mind that is based on the presence or anticipation of good.
Second, we need remember that everything God does is for our good (Romans 8:28) and for His glory (Romans 11:36).
Third, we need remember that the Lord made today.
Now let’s connect the dots…
Here’s why we should always choose joy according to Psalm 118:24 when we know everything we know about joy.
- When life happens, and it happens ALL the time, we start to feel angry, frustrated, or upset, and the joy starts to go away. This is when we have to make a choice.
- We remember that joy is a state of mind based on the presence or anticipation of good.
- We think about how God can turn anything for our good, so we can either find the good that’s present or anticipate the good that’s coming.
- We think about how God created today, and if He created it, it was made for His glory, even if it’s a mess right now. And anything that glorifies God is good.
- That all leads us to make a choice to focus on that good rather than our circumstances, and get back to a joyful state of mind by rejoicing in today.
Right about now, you’re probably thinking, OK… I get why I should choose joy, but I’m not exactly sure how I choose joy. I get it, and I’ve got you! Just keep reading…
Life Application
Choosing joy is something I’ve worked on in my own life for a VERY long time. We’re talking over a decade here, and I still struggle with it at times. But I have learned a few tips and tricks along the way that have worked for me. In fact, there are four things I do to get back to a joyful state of mind when life is getting the best of me.
- Focus on gratitude. I don’t care what’s going on in your life, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. It may be the fact that I’m breathing, but that is definitely worthy of gratitude. Focusing on the things I am grateful for takes my focus off the things that are going wrong.
- Focus on hope. Like we talked about earlier, I know that God can turn anything for my good and His glory. When I focus on that truth, along with some other go-to Scriptures, it gives me hope. And focusing on that hope gets my focus off whatever I’m dealing with that’s stealing my joy.
- Focus on praise. Sometimes I just need to crank up my worship music and praise my Creator. Every song on my “Favorites” playlist reminds me of the goodness of God, so I can put my focus on that instead of the mess I’m currently stuck in.
- Focus on prayer. When all else fails, I simply talk to God. I may do it silently. I may scream. But taking my struggles to Him always takes my focus off those struggles and puts it on the One who holds the solutions.
Now, here’s what I want you to notice: All of those things have something in common. They all cause me to shift my focus from the bad stuff to the good stuff. And that should come as no surprise since we know that joy is a state of mind based on the presence or anticipation of good. Joy is all about focus. Abraham Lincoln said it perfectly when he said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
If you want to choose joy my friend, just find the roses and rejoice over them.
Talk to you soon!
P. S. The Webster’s 1828 Dictionary that I mentioned earlier is one of my go-to Bible study tools. It was written during a time when the center point of our great nation was God, and the definitions reflect that throughout the book. If you want to get a better understanding of what words mean in the Bible compared to the definitions we use today, this is a great resource to use. It’s a bit pricey but definitely worth it! You can get your copy HERE.
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