Choose Joy

Despite what we might hear in popular Christian culture, following Jesus is hard. We were never promised an easy life. Jesus even promised trouble—he warned his disciples of persecution and hatred and death. But even in the grim reality of life, we can have the same attitude as Paul did when he was in prison.

When we focus entirely on Jesus—who he is, his presence with us through the Holy Spirit, and his return—he reshapes our perspective. We can learn to cherish Jesus above all else. We can choose joy.