It’s hard to believe that it has been over 27 years ago (July 6, 1994) that the slow but lovable character Forrest Gump entered theatres and our hearts. The critically acclaimed blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, along with 13 other Oscar nominations. Throughout the film, the endearing and unforgettable character Forrest regularly quotes his mother. In one memorable scene, while sitting next to a lady on a park bench in front of a bus stop, Forrest opens a box of chocolates, offers one of them to the lady and says, “My mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”
If you think about it, mama was right. There IS a lot of uncertainty in life. There are ups and downs. There are good days and bad days. There are days of encouragement and days of discouragement. We never really know what each day will bring.
But what we do know from God’s Word is this; our God is faithful, and He promises to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Sure, we live in a sin-tainted world full of difficulties, hardships and trials. As part of the human experience, we will encounter loss, heartache, disaster, illness and death. Scripture tells us that when Adam sinned, it changed everything (Genesis 3; Romans 3:23, 5:12, 6:23). And, were it not for the pervasive and compounding nature of sin, life would be more like a bowl of cherries than a box of chocolates.
But the harsh reality is that life can throw us some nasty curveballs. And though cherries are sweet, let’s not forget that they have a pit in them. Apart from a right relationship with the Lord, there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12). But with Him by our side, we can overcome whatever comes our way (Philippians 4:13). Consider the comforting words of Jesus to His followers when He said, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Because Jesus our Savior is the Overcomer, when we abide in Him, we too can overcome life’s challenges.
The Explanation of Joy
As those redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7), our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Someone once said it this way, “We are here on this earth with visitor passes.” But even as visitors, who are no more than aliens and strangers (I Peter 1:1, 2:11-12) we can (and should) have great joy in the journey. It is God’s will for our lives (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).
John MacArthur defines joy this way: “Spiritual joy is the settled conviction that God sovereignly controls the events of life for the believers’ good and His glory.” So, joy is not some superficial emotional response to life’s occurrences, it is an unwavering confidence that God is providentially superintending all things (Job 42:2; Psalm 103:19; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11).
The Essence of Joy
While joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), we must volitionally practice joy. As those who have been saved from the penalty, power and (one day) the ultimate presence of sin, we now possess the Spirit of God (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). So, if we’re not exhibiting joy, it’s our fault, not God’s.
If joy is not evident in our lives, we have a spiritual problem. And our spiritual problem can only be solved by first, confessing to God our lack of dependence in His sovereign plan for our lives, and then second, by actively placing our trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). Because after all, Ephesians 1:11 tells us that God is working all things according to the counsel of His will. And Romans 8:28 tells us that He is working all things out for His glory and our good.
It’s important to remember that “the joy of the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), which means that we are at our weakest when we do not exhibit joy.
The Expression of Joy
If you are picking up what I’m laying down here, our joy should never be affected by circumstances. In fact, James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials (or maybe better “even when” you encounter various trials), knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
The Greek word for trial is peirasmos. It literally means “an experiment, or a time of proving.” Trials are God’s experiment to see how we will respond to life’s difficulties. We should view trials with joy because they are given to us by our sovereign God to prove out or test our faith—to make us more battle tested and complete as believers in Christ. Trials are a reminder from God that the Christian life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and we need endurance (Hebrews 12:1-2).
When Paul says in I Thessalonians 5:16 that we are to “rejoice always,” it is in the present imperative, which means he is calling for a continuing habitual practice of rejoicing—no matter the circumstances. True biblical joy cannot be found apart from God, and it should be a constant in every believer’s life. But it’s the word “always” that makes this command so powerful. Rejoice always. Not some of the time. Not most of the time. But all of the time. So, it stands to reason, if various trials adversely affect our joy, we should get ready to experience more of them, because God rightly sees that we need more testing.
So, pass the chocolates. We should now be good with not knowing what we are gonna get. Because for the Christian, we should always find joy in the journey.