Skip to content

UC Chimes: Joy like a fountain

Golfing is my only hobby during the summer time. In winter, I walk along side roads. Fortunately there is a beautiful and well maintained nine hole golf course located near the town of Carlyle.

Golfing is my only hobby during the summer time. In winter, I walk along side roads. Fortunately there is a beautiful and well maintained nine hole golf course located near the town of Carlyle. Playing golf not only gives me enjoyment but also it becomes the source of recharging my energy. But I cannot play golf all day and every day. No matter what your hobby may be, playing a sport, joining a recreational club, being involving in a physical or social activity, travelling or anything else, it is impossible to do it all day and every day.

Some enjoy eating or chatting, but they cannot do it all day long. Some enjoy watching various entertainments, but they will be bored after a certain time. Some may enjoy relaxing in comfortable surroundings with pleasurable things, for a while, but they may not do it all the time.

Many years ago a person told me that he went to work everyday, even though he didn't like his job. He said that doing nothing was more troublesome than doing unlikable work. I wondered how he could endure it. But one clear thing is that people can work all day and every day until their retirement. In other words, we people are able to enjoy our work each day and every day.

Indeed, we human beings are created to do something rather than to do nothing. The Bible encourages us to enjoy our life. "Moreover it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and enjoy their work" (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Everyone wants to enjoy their life, but not everyone knows how. That is the reason why some people enjoy their life and some don't under exactly or similar living and working conditions. So enjoying life seems to be more dependent upon each one's mindset or willingness rather than one's own preference or adaptability to the given circumstance.

St. Paul says to us, "Rejoice always!" (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Yes, we want to rejoice always, but how can we rejoice in bad times and difficult situations? Theoretically speaking, there are only two ways to rejoice always in whatever time and situation. One is that each of us has the freedom to choose to rejoice. And the second is when the supernatural power helps us to rejoice, then we can be joyful always. Realistically it seems to be almost impossible to rejoice always by our own choice. Who can choose good, positive and the right attitude all the time? So we all need faith like a fountain that makes us rejoice and enjoy our life always. As parents want their children to enjoy their lives all the time, rejoice always is God's will for us. In faith of Christ Jesus who is the fountain of joy, the power of joy is provided to us from time to time so that we can be joyful always. Let's rejoice always!