Joy Influencer

30 Days in Philippians - day 12

Philippians 2:1-2

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Consider the wisdom of what Paul says here about joy. It would be a mistake to think our joy is wholly dependent on other people’s attitudes and actions. Joy is not controlled by others, but it is affected by them. The book of Philippians is a call to joy in the midst of troubling times. Paul exhorts all of us to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Yet, it is also a misunderstanding to believe that what other people do has no bearing on our joy.

Paul begins chapter two by asking the Philipppian church to “fulfill” his joy by being in unity with each other. A way to think about this is to imagine your soul as a tank and joy as a liquid. Paul’s tank wasn’t empty, but it wasn’t full either.

The Philippian church could help top off Paul’s tank with joy by dealing with the conflict within the church and developing a spirit of unity.

It is true that we can’t control what other people do, only how we respond to what they do. But it is also true that other people’s actions can affect how we feel at any given moment.

Like Paul, as a Christian we can and should always have some level of joy in the Lord. Our tank should never be empty. But we can be realists about this without guilt or shame. There are times when personal conflict, sinful actions, and selfishness brings a level of grief and sadness too.

And on the other side of this, we should recognize that our actions can create a “joy deficit” in someone’s heart. It is a great ministry to pursue unity with others because it brings joy to those who are looking on. We don’t just manage our own joy, we influence someone else’s.

To have love, fellowship, affection, and mercy among a group of Christians, is good for them, but it is also good for those who are observing from the outside.

You can’t often create joy by simply telling yourself to be happy. Joy is the fruit of unity and peace with others.

Today, create joy for yourself and others by pursuing unity.

Reject small, unnecessary divisions.

Mover toward someone, not away.

Choose unity even when it costs you something.

This is plowing the ground of our hearts in ways that will produce a harvest of joy.