Written by Débora Rodrigo de Racancoj
The command to rejoice in the midst of tribulations and to be joyful at all times has often been an incomprehensible challenge for me. I understand that salvation gives reason enough to be joyful and to exude joy. But there are situations in life in which, honestly, I do not feel like smiling.
We need to understand that the joy of the Bible is something much deeper than the emotion of joy, which is momentary and changing. Biblical joy is a state of the soul, from the depths of our being. We can have a horrible day in which everything goes wrong; or we may be even going through a particularly difficult season in our lives. That will produce a change in our emotions, and can probably stay that way for a few hours, days, or weeks. But the circumstances of life, whether small or large, are not responsible for the emotional state of our soul.
What is inside your soul? Is there joy? Or is there bitterness? It may seem somewhat difficult to identify the state of your soul, but actually, it is much simpler than we think. Watch your behavior, listen to your words, and analyze them. Jesus Himself gave us the key in Luke 6:45: what we store in our hearts is what is reflected in our behavior and our words. If we have a soul flooded with bitterness, bitterness will come out of us; whether it is a good day, in which everything seems to be going well, or a bad day, where things go wrong. If, however, what prevails is joy, we will inevitably radiate joy.
What is clear is that a fountain cannot pour through the same opening fresh water and bitter water (James 3:11). It’s one or the other: either you're splashing with joy toward others or you're splashing them with bitterness. And from my own experience I tell you: it is very easy to flood our soul with bitterness. I guess that is why Paul repeats so insistently that we rejoice.
Whatever the situation you are going through at this point in your life, whether circumstances are prosperous or contrary; if the invitation to rejoice is unattainable, you have probably let the sea of bitterness invade your soul. I have good news for you: bitter water can easily be converted into fresh water, you just have to cry out to God and ask Him to show you what to do, just as He showed Moses (Ex. 15: 23-25).
A simple prayer was sufficient for Moses to know what to do so that the bitter water, with which he would quench the thirst of the people, was transformed into fresh water. Changing that water that invades your soul is no more difficult for God than changing the physical water in the story of Moses. Cry out to God, and He will answer, He has the key so that the bitter water that floods you will turn into fresh water. He is the key to your fountain flowing joy.
