Preface
I wrote this over 2 weeks ago and never hit publish. I wasn't sure if it was the right message to send out to the galaxy.
I came home from church today knowing that it needed to be published.
Thank you Pastor Dave for speaking on JOY today ... and for nailing its meaning right on the head.
These {fruits of the Spirit} ... you can't just have the ones you want ... because even as I focus on yet another one this week ... JOY keeps showing up.
And that's a good thing.
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Original Post Date - May 1
No matter what circumstance I may find myself in ... I choose JOY.
What do you choose?
Do you choose Joy? Real. Live. Joy. ??
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JOY.
It's not an act.
It's not necessarily a happy face.
It doesn't mean that all is right in the world.
It isn't a temporary {fix}.
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It is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
It is a treasure that so many are searching for.
It is a choice we all have ... if we choose to follow Him.
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This last week was good for me... challenging, tiring, hard, but good.
Not much time on the computer, not much visiting with friends, not much blogging, not much picture taking, not much sleep.
I've been thinking and praying and thinking some more about JOY.
It's defined by the dictionary as an emotion of great delight or happiness, caused by something exceptionally good.
And you know what, I've struggled with that definition because to me JOY is a gift that is radiated from within no matter what circumstance you're facing when you've chosen to follow and live for Him.
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I've always thought of myself as a joyful person.
I like to laugh, I have crazy expressions, I see the good in most everything ... or at least I try to ... and yet this chapter on joy & the numerous passages of scripture that Beth Moore encourages us to read... well, this Fruit of the Spirit called J.O.Y. has me stopped.
dead.
in.
my.
tracks.
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Sadness. Pain. Hurt. Death. Lies. Deceit. Misery.
Those things don't go away.
Joy.
* It's claiming & knowing & believing that through obedience and endurance and suffering and struggle there is still hope.
* There is still love.
* There is peace.
* There is still hope.
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I'm looking at JOY different these days.
Thank you for leaving comments about what JOY is to you. I'm continually blessed by the outpouring and faithfulness of my readers & those that I'm truly blessed to be able to call {friends}.
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I encourage you to look for JOY. It's within in your reach.
Really, It is.
10 comments:
Very glad you decided to publish this! It's so true - a great message!
What a GREAT post! You my friend are a real JOY giver :D Hope you had the BEST day in Ukiah...Sweet blessings!
P.S. We are still working/moving cattle...I'm thinking we will be until way past dark :D I'm just waiting right now for the next load to arrive....
Loved this! Exactly what I needed to read.
This last month has been really hard, and I have not felt much joy, but I sooo loved the part where you wrote, "It's claiming & knowing & believing that through obedience and endurance and suffering and struggle there is still hope." Thank you so much for your wonderful words!
I'm glad you decided to hit the publish button. Your posts on JOY have been speaking to me lately, and I know that God is working through your words (even if it is just in my little corner of blogland)
I appreciate your blog and your writing a whole heck of a lot. Thank you for always attempting to point back to Him. I love coming to read your blog because of that.
Hope you have a good Monday my friend.
I love the new banner picture. It is so sweet. This is a great post. So thankful that I only have to find Joy in my middle name lately as Joy is very hard to come by these days. You are a very very joyful friend, and this really is a great post. Thanks for posting it and sharing from your heart.
Have a great week.
So glad you decided to publish this! I love how you point out that joy sort of morphs into/out of hope. A person can still have joy in the midst of despair - and to me, that is so very hopeful.
I love that I get to sit back and watch God working in and through you. I'm blessed to learn from you, be inspired by you, and call you my friend.
Joy is knowing you are living the life He has called you to...........appreciating all things, both big and small.
Joy comes when you pursue it! We have to reach for it!
I Love you Lindsay!!
Thank you for sharing this Linds!
I've had a little blog vacation for whatever reason, but the last blog I read of yours was the one when you were asking what joy was to us. That question sent me pondering and I was tickled to come back and read this post when I'm ready to answer that question.
To me joy is... everything that Sunday morning brings.
Thank you for always making me think and smile.
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