Life is not all peaches and cream. I'm sure I'd hear a few amen's on that! Though, I do think we choose to handle life's decisions, negative situations or difficulties, differently. I personally prefer to fix things or at least, adjust my viewpoint to see things from a 'God-like' perspective in order to gain a working response to life's up's and down's. Admittedly, it does make me sad to undergo difficult seasons when things are not changing for the better. I would, instead, prefer more palatable events.
For instance, a good example to help clarify this might be to use a person who's living with cancer. How does one make the best of that situation? For some reason, I don't see that person literally 'jumping for joy' bearing the weight of this disease! At best, a man or woman who lives daily in pain and dependent upon others for help, who would determine to live joyfully in this situation, would have to resign to the fact that (1) I am dying. (But then again, we all are, albeit at different rates of speed) (2) There is no cure. (3) God has a purpose in it. (4) My joy comes simply from knowing Him. (5) I will rejoice (in Him!)
What about the outward evidence for the joy we have on the inside? Should an outward smile determine the level of joy one has on the inside? The joy of the Lord is our STRENGTH. If, in fact, it is. The joy of knowing Him will provide the strength to endure struggles...The smile quite possibly, or may very well be an irrelevant determining factor when bearing the pain of our affliction. But when our focus is on the Lord, that makes a smile's probability more possible!
I do not want to compare 'candy-coated' religion to a joy-filled relationship with the Lord. I see no real fortitude in that kind of religion. Honestly, what makes Christianity, or better, the gospel attractive to anyone? Is it that we simply put on that 'happy face' to mask the pain our souls are truly bearing? Or is it because we are filled with God's Spirit that we rejoice in our trials and difficulties? Dear ones, it is knowing that we have all of heaven at our disposal to help us overcome! The struggle and the pain are not all there is! Oh, it may be all there is for this life, but definitely not in the one to come!
So let's rejoice! Not because of the circumstances necessarily, but because as a child of God, we are filled with His presence through the person of the Holy Spirit! Who intercedes on your behalf...For this we can and very well, should be filled with joy! So...smile! ( Thoughts inspired in part by Romans 8)
