Joy Overflowing!

We have a three-year-old miniature schnauzer named Brody. Now Brody may be three, but he is all puppy. He gets so excited at the smallest things. Even when we go to the mailbox, Brody acts like we have been gone for weeks. He jumps up and down, wiggles his little body, and yelps loudly (actually, it is quite piercing and can be heard down the street!). He is full joy from head to tail! I wish I had his energy and enthusiasm.

Child-like Joy

Have you ever watched the excitement of a young child when they have a surprise? They just light up! They jump up and down, clap their hands, and squeal with delight. It is so much fun to watch. Their joy is contagious, isn’t it? What is amazing is that it really isn’t always a big thing that brings about this response; it can just be something as small as a lollipop or as insignificant (to us anyway) as going to a park or an ice cream parlor.

One of my favorite things is watching my 4-year-old twin granddaughters when they try something new. It was so cute watching them try on their Paw Patrol Halloween costumes and their beautiful Christmas dresses. They giggled endlessly and twirled in circles. Twirling is a must when you are 4!

I get the privilege of picking them up from preschool every Wednesday. They are so excited to see me every time. Even though I see them other times throughout the week, that joy on their faces when they get in the car is priceless. They tell me about their day and show me the pictures they made. Then we drive over to Sonic to get a treat – sometimes it may be a corndog, a cheeseburger, or a “slushie.” But they get most excited if we get ice cream! Oh my!

Disney — Excitement and Joy

Our latest excitement has been our recent trip to Disney World.  This trip was filled with many “firsts” for the girls – first airplane ride, first time at the ocean, and of course, their first time at Disney. Their eyes were so big, taking in all the sights. They were even more bubbly than usual. I was surprised at their bravery to ride even the fastest, scariest rides. In fact, little daredevil Sophia liked those most of all. They even had to take four rides on the Slinky Dog roller coaster (which is actually faster than Space Mountain)! It was a fun trip I will cherish forever.

With all the pandemic issues that never seem to end, we sure have missed out on a lot of joy-filled moments, haven’t we? Now that things “appear” to be easing up a bit, we still have to be careful. I know we all wish that we could go back to life before 2020. We went from carefree to cautious pretty quickly. Now, in our eagerness to feel “normal” again, we seem to take risks we would never have considered two years ago.  Our trip to Disney was just days after the mask mandates were lifted on airlines and at the parks. It was an odd feeling walking around with just a handful of people still wearing masks. The mood in the parks was more lighthearted. The air was filled with laughter, dancing, and singing. And Mickey Mouse ice cream bars!

Happiness is not Joy!

It would be nice if having joy in our lives was as easy as visiting Disney World, twirling, or singing a song, wouldn’t it? But the cares and worries of life seem to crowd out our joy. The reason for that is we are equating joy with happiness. That is the kind of joy that the world wants – happy times, fun, laughter, and no problems to ever worry about. That is unrealistic as well as impossible.

If we ever do experience that kind of “joy,” then it is only temporary. When our favorite team loses another game, there goes our joy. If we lose our car keys and are late for work, there goes our joy. When the person we voted for does not win the election, there goes our joy. If our child gets in trouble at school, there goes our joy. If our spouse is unfaithful and wants a divorce, there goes our joy.  The doctor giving us bad news about our health? Definitely not a “joyful” feeling.

Yes, many of our struggles and trials can cause us great concern, even to the point where we question how we can find joy in anything that is happening to us. But here’s the thing – we can experience true joy even in the midst of the most frustrating, scary, and sad circumstances. Why? Because joy is not the same as happiness. Joy isn’t a feeling at all. Circumstances can have a positive or negative impact on our joy IF our joy is based on our feelings.

Godly Joy — What is it?

True joy is the natural reaction to the work of God, whether it is promised in the future or already fulfilled. Joy expresses God’s influence on earth, not our own works. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Having joy is a choice. We choose whether we want to value God’s presence, His promises, and His continual working in our lives. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, He opens our eyes to God’s grace around us and fills us with joy.

With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can choose joy in situations when joy would be our very last response. When we are angry with people, or disappointed with life, or in the throes of grief, or even tormented by depression, we can still choose how we will react. James, the brother of Jesus himself, points us to a healthiest choice: JOY!  He says, “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-4) Perseverance helps us to become more like Jesus and live godly lives in spite of our struggles. God honors this as worship. Earthly circumstances can steal our happiness but never our joy!

The 3 R’s of Joy

I like to use the 3 R’s — Remember, Reflect, Respond – to keep godly joy in my life. First, I remember the promises throughout the Bible of God’s faithfulness and love for his children. Then I reflect on all the many times in the past that my loving Father has always been faithful to me. Finally, I respond with a humble heart, thanking Him for never leaving me or forsaking me, and asking Him to help me to remain faithful. I know, deep down, that my joy is in the confidence that everything is going to be alright. It is the determined choice to praise God in every situation.

This kind of joy can be contagious. As we respond to the struggles in our lives, others are watching. Most of all, our children learn healthy ways to respond when life throws challenges their way. I like this article from “Focus on the Family” about teaching joy to our children: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/what-is-joy/

You are not Forgotten!

If you have cried yourself to sleep too many times to count, or if you have experienced the sorrow of depression, disappointment, and sadness, do not give up! Your tears have fertilized the seeds of joy that God has planted in the garden of your life. Those who have sown the tears of tragedy and pain have the greatest capacity for joy! It may not always feel like it, but God has not forgotten you. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 56:8: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” He knows every tear we have ever cried and every one of them we will cry in the future. I know my bottle of tears is already a full one! What comfort there is in knowing how much He cares! He wants to turn our sadness into a bountiful harvest of joy!

There is a strong connection between joy and trust. I discussed this in a past blog called “Simple Trust = Best Results” (https://grandma-d.com/simple-trust-best-results/).

I promise you, dear one, that He hasn’t forgotten you. He wants to fill your life with joy and peace in the midst of even the toughest times. Hang on. He’s got you! You might even feel like twirling!

I talk more about joy in my new book, God’s Fruit Salad – A Divine Recipe for a Filling Life. There is a link to order a copy on the home page.

Prayer:

Dear Father,

I am so grateful that we can call you our Abba, our loving “Daddy.” Sometimes it feels like we are all alone, but You have never left us. We want to lay our worries and struggles at your feet, but sometimes it is hard to let them go. Please let us feel your presence and fill us with joy and peace that only come from trusting you.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.