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

When we are unhappy, we usually blame it on someone or something else. It rarely occurs to us that we must be responsible for our own joy, but that is indeed what we must do. If our joy is based on having all the people in our lives do as we please and on always having pleasant circumstances, there is little hope of enjoying very many days. However, if we take responsibility for our joy and realize we can choose to be joyful regardless of our circumstances, then we can enjoy every day of our lives.

The longer we live, the more we realize that everything in life is a choice. Our enjoyment of life does not depend on what happens to us, but on how we RESPOND to it. We cant control what other people do, nor what our circumstances will be from day to day, but we can control ourselves, with God’s help. He has given us the gift of self-control as one of the fruit of the Holy Spirt. (Galatians 5:23). This fruit resides inside of us and is like a muscle: The more we use it, the stronger it becomes.

You can choose to blame your emotional state on someone or something, but God can teach you that your joy is your responsibility, not any one else’s. Blaming others for our problems, only puts off the inevitable. Sooner or later, we must take responsibility and stop making excuses for our ungodly behavior. We can take ownership and ask God to help us change for the better.