Some books are like heart surgery. As you read them, you feel the pierce of the scalpel, cutting away at the core issues, working to restore wholeness. You come out a stronger person because of the experience. I am reading just such a book right now.
My dear friend Andrew gifted me Champagne for the Soul. In this book, Mike Mason has done a masterful job of convincing (moreover, convicting) me that: “Joy is a biblical commandment.” He has also driven home a truth that began to sink in several months ago as I read Learning to Be Last by Fairbanks and Toler. They wrote: “Contentment does not make you grateful. Rather, it is gratitude that makes you contented.”
Of course, I know that books like these only carry such power because they are rooted in the word of God: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice…Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:4,11).
Though I am not finished reading it yet (as Mason intends for the book to be a ninety-day experiment in joy), there are already several quotes worth pondering further and sharing:
“Now ask for yourself: what is the gospel? Keep asking until the answer that comes provokes an eruption of joy” (Chapter 5).
“Yet full repentance is a joyful act in itself. If we’re not joyful, we haven’t finished repenting. The sign that we’ve repented well is happiness, as God consumes our sacrifice of sorrow and exchanges it for joy” (Chapter 7).
“What we lack as Christians isn’t just the will to believe the gospel, but the will to be happy about what we believe. Indeed our lack of joy is a sign of unbelief” (Chapter 10).
“Be happy now! If you can’t find happiness in the present moment, you never will. Joy isn’t around some corner—it’s here” (Chapter 12).
“Unhappiness is not primarily a product of pain and hardship, but of resisting the will of God…Besides being orthodox (having right doctrine), we must also be ortho-pathic, a word that means ‘having right feelings’” (Chapter 15).
I remember when we used to sing the hymn Count Your Blessings at Shiloh Baptist Church. We would sing the chorus until a certain point: “Count your blessings; name them one by one…” We would wait for someone to share a word of thanks and praise before closing out: “Count your many blessings; see what God hath done.”
Lately, I have been asking the Lord to grant me faith to seek a joy that is full: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). I desire to be a joy-full person.
I have also asked Him to whisper to my heart the secret shared with the Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:12). In that, I have come to see that the Father has given everything I need to be thankful and joyful because He has given us Christ—“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And, lately, I have found myself counting blessings to stay rooted and grounded in that love (Ephesians 3:14-21). Let me name them one by one. I am thankful for:
1.) My roommate, Young Gwang. I have had my fair share of amazing roommates over the years. He is no exception. A few weeks ago, he offered to take us out for dinner, to help brighten up my tough week. The first place we tried, we got a little turned around looking for it. So, we headed to a second location—which ended up being closed for the night. The third restaurant was found to be shut down completely, with not even a sign in place. After all this, we decided to go to McDonalds. He got take-out, but when he handed me the drinks, I missed a bag. And I dropped Coke all over his center console. All we could do was laugh about it. He kindly said: “It could have been worse. We could have dropped the hamburgers.” We returned home and ate what we had left, together.
2.) Youth Bible Study. We are enjoying average attendance of about 12 youth every Sunday now. Mostly, it is boys. This is amazing, since many young men stay away from church, and women carry most of the load in local churches these days. I am asking the Lord to rise up strong men for the church in Korea.
3.) Church members. Despite my woeful Korean, they continually extend great kindness, including thoughtful gifts, delicious food, dinner invitations, and encouragement.
4.) Paychecks. It feels good to be earning, tithing, giving, spending, and saving again. I am not feeling the weight of pending medical bills or dwindling savings. What a blessing!
5.) iTunes. Music is the language of the heart, and I am grateful for my iPod. Moreover, I can rent movies and TV shows now, which has kept me feeling connected.
6.) Care packages and technology. I have received several care packages since being here. I don’t have to wait six months for a letter to come by boat. Instead, I get a box of goodies within a week! And I can talk live with friends and family via Skype, while keeping up to speed on their life via Facebook.
7.) Friends all over the world. I have stayed connected with friends in the US, Romania, China, Australia, England, Kenya, and even more to name. I have a piece of my heart on every continent, except Antarctica. Though I do love penguins.
8.) Good food (and daring menus). I get to expand my palate while eating interesting and often delicious food here such as spicy octopus or shrimp pizza (with sweet potato-stuffed crust). The food here is anything but boring and bland!
9.) Beautiful weather. It has been gorgeous here recently. I sleep with the window open at night. I love the fresh air. Mind you, that also means bright neon lights, curious insects, constant traffic, noisy pedestrians, crowing roosters, chirping crickets, loud cabbies, barking dogs, and more. But, after putting on bug spray, the rest becomes a kind of city symphony, serenading me to sleep each night.
10.) You, for reading. I am thankful and honored that several have kept following my time here, noting ways to pray for me while perusing my thoughts. I am reminded of Psalm 8:4, where David stands humbled before God – “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” In the same way, I wonder: “Who am I, that people would love and care for me so beautifully?” I count you a blessing.
