Choosing Joy

I once wrote down a quote that I heard someone say and it went something like this: “You can’t control others, but you can control how you respond to them. “

I have decided that this principle can also be applied to life. I can’t control certain aspects of my life, but I can control how I respond to them. I can’t control things that happen to me, or circumstances, but I can control how I respond to them.

This reminds me of my very favorite verse in the whole Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:16. It says, “Be joyful always.”

So no matter what happens to me or in my life, I can choose to respond in a joyful manner. I don’t have to be discouraged or negative. Obviously, this is tough, especially when things seem totally out of control. But we weren’t meant to do it on our own. The verses that immediately follow “be joyful always” explain how this is possible.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”