Choose Joy 选择喜乐

[Dexu Xia]

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Philippians 4:4

Keith was feeling down as he trudged through the produce aisle. His hands trembled from the first signs of Parkinson’s disease. How long before his quality of life began to slide? What would this mean for his wife and children? Keith’s gloom was shattered by laughter. Over by the potatoes, a man pushed a giggling boy in a wheelchair. The man leaned over and whispered to his son, who couldn’t stop grinning. He was noticeably worse off than Keith, yet he and his dad were finding joy where they could.

Writing from prison or under house arrest as he awaited the outcome of his trial, the apostle Paul seemingly had no right to be joyful (Philippians 1:12–13). The emperor was Nero, a wicked man who had a growing reputation for violence and cruelty, so Paul had reason to be concerned. He also knew there were preachers who were taking advantage of his absence to gain glory for themselves. They thought they could “stir up trouble” for the apostle while he was imprisoned (v. 17).

Yet Paul chose to rejoice (vv. 18–21), and he told the Philippians to follow his example: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4). Our situation might seem bleak, yet Jesus is with us now, and He’s guaranteed our glorious future. Christ, who walked out of His tomb, will return to raise His followers to live with Him. As we begin this new year, may we rejoice!

By:  Mike Wittmer

What personal suffering or injustice causes you to languish in your sorrow? How might the truth of Jesus bring you joy?

Father, please raise my eyes above my circumstances. I look to You alone for joy.

你们要靠主常常喜乐！我再说，你们要喜乐！—腓立比书4章4节

在超市里，凯恩拖着沉重的步伐走过蔬果区，心情很低落，双手也因帕金森氏症的初期症状而颤抖。他心想：还有多久，生活品质就会开始下降呢？妻子和儿女要如何面对我的病情呢？一会儿，凯恩心里的愁绪被一阵笑声驱散了。在蔬果区旁，有个坐在轮椅上的小男孩正咯咯地笑着，他爸爸一边推轮椅，一边俯身向前，对笑个不停的儿子说悄悄话。男孩的情况显然比凯恩更糟，但他们父子随时随地都选择快乐。

当使徒保罗在狱中或受软禁等待审判的结果时，似乎没有什么理由可以让他感到开心快乐（腓立比书1章12-13节）。当时的罗马皇帝尼禄是个邪恶的人，以残酷暴虐著称，所以保罗有理由感到担忧。此外，保罗也知道有些传道者会趁他不在时，为自己赢得好处和荣誉。他们传道是出于自私，只想在保罗被囚禁时，加增保罗的烦恼（17节）。

但保罗选择喜乐（18-21节），并嘱咐腓立比信徒也要效法他，说:“你们要靠主常常喜乐！我再说，你们要喜乐！”（4章4节）我们的处境看似严峻，但耶稣与我们同在，祂已保证我们的前景一片光明。这位从死里复活的基督，将会再来使祂的跟随者复活。新年伊始，愿你我都能靠主喜乐！

作者：  韦陌格

你遭逢什么痛苦或不公义之事，
以致沉溺于悲伤之中？
圣经真理如何使你得着喜乐？

天父啊，求祢让我的眼目不再专注于现在的处境，
而是单单仰望祢，靠祢满有喜乐。