The other day, I had one of “those” days. You know the ones, you’re already not feeling well, and everyone around you seems to be out to make you feel worse. Hubby was short-tempered, kids were fighting, baby was teething…blah blah blah. I had just about reached the point where I questioned the sanity of getting married and having three kids, when I looked over at my cranky little boy. He gazed up at me with wide eyes. “Ma-ma.” Of course, my heart melted. I felt a smile twitching at the corner of my lips. “Ma-ma-ma-ma.” He reached his arms up to me. My eyes filled with tears. Tears of joy. This is what life is all about.
Being a joyful person, like being a Christian, does not mean you won’t have bad days or go through rough times. It’s the way you approach those circumstances, how you choose to respond that reflects that joy.
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy. Psalm 126:5
We are not promised an easy life. Quite the contrary, in the New Testament, Jesus assures us that we will face trials. It is how we respond that sets us apart.
The most basic of responses is to realize that we are not made for this world. Earth is a temporary layover—our joy lies in a higher place. So, no matter the troubles we find in our mortal life, we can rejoice because our eternity is made for Heaven.
Another way of thinking of it is reminiscent of the “Footprints” poem. God is with us always, even when we can’t feel Him. He carries us through the hard times. We need to put our full trust in Him so that He can give us that peace to get us through whatever troubles cause us to weep.
As I proclaimed on Monday, joy is in the doing. So to maintain joy while we face trouble, we can’t sit and dwell. Focusing in a destructive manner will only garner more negative feelings. So, get up and tell yourself that you will not let this situation defeat you. You will overcome it by stepping out in the joy you own, taking steps to face/endure/resolve it with God’s guidance.
The same goes when you see another woman in distress. We all know how hard it is to go through something awful alone. Why would we want that for someone else? Prayerfully reach out to her in a way that will edify her and bring her out of the slump she’s in. Sometimes that may mean just sitting with her, no words, no advice—just companionable silence that says “I’m here”.
Life doesn’t come with a guarantee, but our redemption comes with joy unyielding. When we know who we are, what God wants for us, we can make it through any storm the winds of change bring our way. “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:13
Thanks for the reminder, sis! Like everything in life, joy comes when we choose it! However, without the power of Christ, sometimes it is hard to make that choice and stay in our frustrations of the everyday. Renew your mind and the rest will follow, right? Choose joy and it makes life worth living. Joy for the Christian woman is being able to have a choice to begin with. I am so grateful that I am no longer empowered by the things that steal my joy, but rather am empowered by them to overcome it with joy. The joy of the Lord! There is nothing like it, you can't buy it, you can't bottle it, you can't wear it, you can't eat it, you can't even deny it because when true joy comes, it is something that is beyond words!!:)
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