Day #27: Rejoice Each Day

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for a person to see the sun. So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many—all that is about to come is obscure. Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions. Banish emotional stress from your mind. and put away pain from your body; for youth and the prime of life are fleeting. (Ec 11:7-10)

Each time Solomon reminds us of the immanence of death he encourages us to enjoy life while we can.  But rejoicing is a step up from mere enjoyment.  When we rejoice, we are recognizing our joy and expressing it.  Rejoicing is remarkably close to praise.  If we acknowledge God's blessings in life, we will be full of praise and thanksgiving.  This is the perfect prescription for anxiety. Life is hard and death is certain, but there is still so much to thank God for.  The simple act of waking up to a beautiful sunrise can cheer our spirits.  And if we are so fortunate to live a long life, we should be thankful for every year God gives. 

 

Follow your impulses

 

To the young men he has some surprising advice, "follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes".  But Solomon wisely adds, "know that God will judge your motives and actions."  Very interesting.  I wonder why he took the trouble to advise impulsiveness.  It seems unnecessary for young people.  It sounds like, "boys will be boys".  And maybe it is.  Solomon understands what it means to be a young man, full of energy and desire.  He wants the young men to be young men, but to remember who they are ultimately accountable to. It is a common misconception that religion is for old people, and the young must "sow their wild oats."  Solomon disagrees.  He exhorts the young people to remember God in all they do.  Ultimately, they must live in a way that pleases the Almighty.  He also gives them some advice about handling emotional stress.  He simply tells them to banish it from their minds.  In a therapeutic society, this may sound a bit strange.  At first glance you might think it is overly simplistic.  To handle emotional issues, especially stress, we go to therapy and take medications.  But I wonder if Solomon doesn't have a good point.  Taken in the context of rejoicing and thanksgiving, it makes a lot of sense. 

 

Banish stress

 

In research that Alex Korb, PhD conducted, it was shown that gratitude had a positive effect on depression and an indirect effect on anxiety because gratitude helped the patient get better sleep, which helped both.  Common sense would tell us that an attitude of gratitude is good for our mental health, just as Solomon suggests.  But is it possible to "banish emotional stress from your mind" as he said?  I believe so.  Certainly, there are emotional conditions which cannot be handled so easily, but many can.  What we choose to think about will affect our moods.  And we have a choice.  The Apostle Paull spoke to this very issue in Philippians 4:4-9.  Take special note of the relationship between rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving, and anxiety.  Also observe the biblical command to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute.  We are to think about those things worthy of excellence and praise.  Certainly, this is one way to follow Solomon's prescription to "banish" emotional stress.

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Php 4:4-9)

 

We should remember that God understands us better than we understand ourselves.  That includes our emotions.  Sometimes we forget that He wants to take an active part in the way we handle things.  We are not on our own to find a peaceful inner life.  Consider the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23:

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

 

 As we walk in the power of the Spirit, God produces these qualities in our life. Over time they grow.  These are not standards we must live by, nor something we must strive for.  They are a by-product of walking closely with the Lord and living by faith.  They are His qualities produced in us. We are the beneficiaries of His grace.

 

Questions to consider:

1.       Why is it sometimes hard to “give thanks in all things”?

2.       What are some incorrect ways to handle stress?

3.       How has walking in the Spirit helped you emotionally?

4.       What advice would you give someone searching for inner peace?


Read on to Day #28

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