Joy

Today’s a new day! As I walk through this crazy beautiful health journey, people always comment on how happy I always seem to be. I wish I could say I am always happy, but that would be a lie. The truth is, happiness is based on current circumstances. Happiness is like a yo-yo. Up and down based on the moment.

Let’s be real, it’s impossible to feel happy 24/7/365. That beautiful smile eventually falls into a frown. The different social groups that we belong to eventually disappear. The social gatherings we attend can leave us feeling alone. The people we put our hope in can let us down. The social media post we scroll through might not be telling the whole story. The truth is, happiness is fleeting. Happiness is an impossible feeling to feel all day everyday.

But then there is Joy. There is a major difference between happiness and joy. Joy is found in our relationship with God. It comes from Him. Joy in the Lord remains even in and through the storms that we face. Joy, unlike happiness is not fleeting. What a difference! The happiness that the world tries to hold onto can never even begin to compare to the joy that we experience with God.

When we look around at the world, it is so easy to get caught up in all of the negativity. It is so easy to be distracted and discouraged by everything we see and experience. But in those moments of doubt and distraction God calls us to cling onto the truth that is only found in Him. The word of God says that God is good and that He works all things together for His divine purpose. (Romans 8:28). I don’t know about you, but if there’s one thing that I’m 100% sure of, it is God’s word to His people. When we choose to see things in a different perspective, we will begin to recognize that maybe the trials that we are faced with were never meant to destroy us. No, maybe the storms of life are making us stronger. To be a little more like Jesus. In the book of James we are told to consider it ALL joy! (James 1: 2-3). This statement made by James is the same truth that helped Jesus face the evils of the world and make the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross with a heart of joy. When we choose to shift our focus to what God is actually doing through the storms in our lives we begin to see these storms differently knowing that Jesus ultimately wants good for us.

The truth is, you cannot fake joy. Joy is something that you either have or you don’t have, and I guarantee you, you can tell a difference. Scriptures share that joy is the very essence of who God truly is (1 Chronicles 16:27). If God is filled with joy, and He is molding us to be more like Him, why would we not desire to be filled with that same beautiful joy? To live it out!

The day we choose to open our eyes to the struggles in life and truly face reality can be one of the greatest days of our lives. To wake up every morning, and have the choice to choose joy that can only be found in God. I know God has taught me that joy is a gift from Him that can never be taken away. We no longer have to depend on the circumstances of life. Today, let our satisfaction be found in a new way of living. A life filled with joy. It is available to everyone. All you have to do is reach out to God. ~OC

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11