His Joy!

Sometimes life is crazy. So much to do. Studying. Family. Friends. Emails. Chores. Decisions. …..Life. And then I get into this routine of nothing. It’s like I just do everything automatically. Doing chores is like walking around the house in a dream. Talking to family is like communicating through a thick blanket where people have to enter into my world with “Hello, Kal. Are you there?”. Studying…that’s just black and white words on a page. :P Emails turn out to be diary epistles and chatting with friends is just fingers typing. Decisions are made logically with almost no feeling at all. There’s just a distance from everything. It’s when I get wrapped up in my own little world—thinking, remembering, re-playing too much.

And then there are those days when I remember why I love living. Studying the courses I have, I remember that I just love learning. I love studying and memorizing. Especially when I “get it”.  Family members made me laugh until my stomach hurts and siblings share inside jokes while the parents go cross-eyed. :P (Yes, we do explain to them  afterwards usually. :P) Friends are there to discuss the deep conversations that make me think and consider things in a new way. Emails and chatting become trivial as both sides wish for face-to-face conversations. Chores become enjoyable again and I am reminded that, yes, I do love cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry. Feelings return when I hold those little babies, and have that intense God-given desire for children of my own. That’s when I remember my purpose here on earth.

Yet, in both those kinds of days I have a choice. A choice that affects how I carry out anything else. A choice that affects my emotions, attitudes, responses, actions and everything else. It’s the choice to choose joy. The joy that exceeds any pain and turns it into rejoicing because He is our strength. (Neh.8:10) The joy that refocuses my thinking and turns me to the One who is the Giver of that joy.

God never promised that in this life

There’d be no struggle with inner strife.

Endless temptation on every side;

Evil desires and sinful pride.

Still he is with me to make me strong.

Keep me from fainting when days are long,

And in each trial give victory.

That’s what He’s promised me.

That’s what He’s promised me.

It is in His strength that I go through every single day of my life. Communicating with people, studying from books, working in my home. In His strength. Not mine. His strength and His joy takes each hasty response and turns it into a meek and quiet spirit. His strength shows me the joy of completing the mundane everyday chores. His joy that makes me love living in the place He has sent me to.

God’s joy also exceeds any of my happiness. The enjoyment I find in studying, in family time, in  writing, in talking is SO much less than the joy He can give me.  His joy is eternal and nothing can take it away. (Ps. 16:11) The happiness that I receive from meeting like-minded friends—a happiness I cannot describe—will be nothing compared to entering His heavenly glory and hearing His “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matt.25:21) I think that the joy His children will receive at that moment will be more than we could humanly handle. Yes, His joy is far greater than anything I could dream of, and I am willing to give up the happiness of this world to one day receive His joy—the kind that is only found in Jesus Christ. The joy that comes from knowing He is faithful. (1 Thess.5:24) The joy that comes from loving fellow believers, abiding in His love, and obeying His commandments. (John 5:10-11) The joy that comes from surrender and casting all your cares upon Him. (1 Peter 5:7)And the joy that comes from being a child of an ever-faithful, all-knowing Father, who holds us in the palm of His hand. Carrying us through each valley and over each mountain. Reaching the Promised Land. And then, finally, hearing His “Well done.” That is true joy. 

Today, may you all seek true joy in every circumstance and situation. Because His joy will surpass all of your pain, and any of your happiness. His joy is what will keep you going through the toughest and happiest of times because the joy of the Lord is your strength.