It is the grid through which we see everything else. Joy is a way of looking at life that is not affected by circumstances. Paul rejoiced while he was in prison, he rejoiced as he faced possible execution, he rejoiced even as he wrote to the church about the conflict that was taking place in the Philippian church. Joy is independent of our circumstances. J.I. Packer talks about the idea of joy in the midst of any circumstance and writes these very provocative words, In Britain and America execution for active Christianity is unlikely to come our way, but it is morally certain that some who read this will be called upon one day to glorify God by dying of cancer.
Cancer is a beast.
But it is clear that Paul could have faced cancer and rejoiced, and if we master the secret of his joy, so may we. The third thing we learn is that joy is based in the Lord. And these techniques are valuable. Paul will tell us in verses 8 and 9 about the importance of thinking well. But joy is not really something that comes from a technique, it comes from a relationship.