JoySample

Cynicism vs. Joy

Have you ever felt your heart growing cynical towards a certain situation or person? Distrust and self-protection combined produce an attitude of cynicism.

Imagine how Joseph must have felt about Mary’s unexpected news. Who could blame him for not believing Mary’s outlandish story about an angel and a miraculous conception? Surely it’s too wild to possibly be true!

In Matthew 1, we’re told that Joseph weighed up his options and decided to divorce her quietly. He had no desire to disgrace Mary publicly, but he was also unwilling to shame himself by following through with the marriage.

We may find ourselves in similar circumstances more often than we think. Caught in a situation that is turning out differently than we initially thought, our natural reaction is likely distrust and self-protection. Cynicism.

How could this possibly be God’s plan?

Why would God let me experience this kind of pain?

How on earth could anything good come from this?

Then a change in the atmosphere of our hearts happens. For Joseph, the change happened when he experienced an angelic encounter, just as Mary had. The angel of the Lord reassured Joseph, urging him not to be afraid and confirming the story that Mary had told him.

Believing a divine message from an angel might appeal to you. Or, at the other extreme, you might rather be known as a cynical realist than a naive dreamer.

But what if God’s ways are really so vastly different from ours? What if he actually possesses the power to turn our darkness into light and our pain into the soil where joy grows?

We know that Joseph’s heart shifted after hearing God’s message for himself because he went through with the marriage to Mary. As a result, he got to experience first-hand the glorious birth of the miracle baby, the worship of the shepherds, and the testimony of the wise men. Imagine what Joseph would’ve missed if he had allowed cynicism to harden his heart. Instead, he chose the path of acceptance and trust. He chose the path of joy.

Reflection: Is there a circumstance in my life where a cynical response is more natural than a joyful one? Am I valuing self-protection over trust?

Prayer: Lord, help me trust that you can turn my confusing or painful situation into something good. Give me the strength to accept what you have for me, even if it looks different from what I thought.