The Joys of Life!

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. -Ecclesiastes 9:7

My application from Bible Study today was Enjoy Life, Every Day!

That's what I believe Paul was refering to when he said
"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: Rejoice!" -Philippians 4:4

and when the Pslamist said
"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" -Pslams 118:24

Those commands are supposed to be freeing, and yet I never felt free after hearing Paul say we must rejoice always; it was the sort of command that I saw as another Christian-to-do!
"Man, I have to find joy in suffering" = "Man, I have to put on a good face, go through the suffering, and let it show like it's affecting me"
I guess I realise that my Christian life up to this point has been somewhat puritan, because I've denied myself of alot of pleasures and in so doing, denied myself of alot of the joys of life.
But man, am I wrong!
I believe God never meant for us to live life joylessly, stretching and challenging ourselves daily so that we are tired for God (take up your cross daily, that life seems like it would be a hard one!). Alot of Christians don't hate the life they live, but they don't enjoy it as much as they should. I guess that's what makes non-Christians think twice about wanting to be Christian. Heck, it makes me think twice about asking my friends to be Christian, I mean, i know God is good to me, I know heaven is a great place, and as a Christian, we have a place in heaven, but heaven's still some time away, what's the point of subjecting them to this busy, challenging life that we are called to live?

Here's the answer. Christian life is enjoyable. Period. God gives us things in life to celebrate and enjoy (hey, what else are tastebuds for?) family, friends, good results, marraige, children; even the little things, like a glimpse of your favourite flower blooming in your garden, like a beautiful sunrise, like an old friend calling, like your favourite song on a radio.... (I could keep going). Those things are presents from God, things that God knows will bring us Joy. Our response should be to enjoy them.

The problem occurs when we start thinking that those things are the things that bring us joy. We think that we will be happy once we have a family, once we get that good job, if we eat enough chocolate, if we are skinny enough. Those things will never bring us joy apart from God. The little joys of life are part of the bigger joy of God, given to us so that we understand God's love better, so that we understand God better! Also, joy just helps us to live life easier, they are enouragements from God on our Christian journey that isn't always easy, but isn't supposed to be as arduous as we make it out to be!

What are some practical things we can do, to enjoy life? (After living this puritan Christian life for so long, I actually have to stop and relearn how to enjoy life! I've been wrong a long time!)
1) Be thankful!
2) Be positive - wake up in the mornings expecting to be surpised, expecting that God has planned your day with little joys along the way!
3) Do the things you enjoy, so that you can enjoy the things you do on a day to day basis! (great philosophy with trying to find the right major/career path)
4) Find things you can enjoy about the things that you must do (I'm willing to study now, even though the classes are tough, knowing that I'll be able to get a job that allows me to helps people who have AIDS around the world. Knowing that brings me joy!)
5) play with kids!
6) Slow down! Stop rushing around! because rushing causes you to do things mechanically and hence forget what you once enjoyed about the things you do!

The point of the joys in your life is to allow you to enjoy God, and help you love Him more. Our God is a good God, enjoy Him through the daily things, today.

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!