Stealer of Joy Attempt by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post: 02 December 2009, Wednesday
Stealer of Joy Attempt

STEALER OF JOY ATTEMPT
Have you noticed how there are forces in this world that actively seek to destroy your joy? We tend to forget that nobody and nothing can steal our joy. Our joy is deeper than emotion and is longer lasting than a situation. Therefore, nothing can really steal it. However, the forces in this world can sure steal our attention/focus, our emotion, and get our eyes off of what is really important and what really matters.

You may wonder what brings this up in my blog today. But, have you noticed about the time life looks up, something or someone has to try to bring you down? It only happens if we let it, however.

I was off the charts in joy and happiness—at about a ten each when I got out of bed this morning. Now, my joy is still at a ten because my joy is determined by my relationship with God. I’m saved, so it doesn’t get any better than that. When I die, I will go be a princess with an eternal King and live in heaven forever. I will be able to spend eternity in the presence of God. It doesn’t get any better than that. Hence, my joy is not diminished because I’m being needled.

However, my happiness has sure dropped a point. It’s at a nine now rather than a ten. My happiness threatened to drop more than that until I realized what happened and I told myself that I will control my emotions and my mind about my circumstances. I will not allow them to control me. I will stand strong because I have full faith in God. He knows what He is doing. I trust in Him in spite of the negative circumstances. The negative circumstances, by the way, on a chart of 1 being low in negativity and ten being high is at about a five, to help you gauge my mind-over-matter and my determined (by me) faith in God. I wills tand firm. I will not waiver. I will trust and believe Him.
HAPPINESS VS. JOY
Let’s look at the two different words.

Happiness is temporary. It is determined by events, circumstances, or situations. It’s emotional. We can choose to be happy, though, in emotion in spite of whatever happens or doesn’t happen. It’s centered on emotion, people, situations, and things/possessions. It can wane when any of the centered on list gives us problems. However, happiness can also wane when we want something, but we do not get it or when we don’t want something and we get it anyway. Happiness is fleeting. Often times, we allow it to control us rather than controlling it. It’s world-centered.

Joy is deeper, long-lasting, not determined by anything other than our relationship and belief in Christ. It’s far deeper than any emotion. It’s more than a state of mind or heart. It is what exists in our soul because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. It is not determined by circumstances. It’s also something we can choose to live by or ignore. We always have joy, but it’s our choice to act on it and allow it to outshine the negatives of life. Joy is God and Christ-centered.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
As Christians, we aren’t supposed to believe in Murphy’s Law and we aren’t supposed to believe in coincidence. Everything happens for a reason and the reason is always double-fold.

1. It brings God glory. We may not see it. It may not make sense. In fact, at the time, it can hurt that God allows things to happen because it brings Him glory. But, here’s where faith comes into the picture. We are to trust and to proceed by faith. Later, it will make more sense. At the time, it can hurt.

2. God has a purpose in what has happened. Again, we have to proceed by faith and trust God.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
How’s your happiness?

How’s your joy?

Do you trust God in spite of the appearance of your current circumstances? (I phrased it that way because often times, appearances are deceiving. If you wait a while, you’ll see the situation from a new perspective and will have a new insight.)

What have today’s thoughts given you thoughts to ponder?

Take care and blessings to you,


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy