Joy

“Joy comes in the morning” (Psalms 30:5). I know everyone applies scripture differently to their lives, and I believe God has designed the Bible to speak to each of us where we are. This is a simple verse that can definitely be one of my current life quotes. My favorite time of day is early morning. The sun is rising, the birds are singing, the house is quiet, I’ve had some sleep (hopefully…not always a lot with 2 young children), I enjoy a hot cup of coffee, spend time reading my Bible, and get in a good 20-30 min workout. Hands down, the best time of day for me. My cup is full. “Joy” means the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune (Merriam-Webster). Got it, I'm good to go…for a short while anyway.
Then the day continues, and you just never know what is going to derail that space of peace and contentment. But the Bible says to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4). To “rejoice” means to experience or express great happiness or joy (Merriam-Webster). Always? How is it possible to always be full of happiness and joy in the world we live in?
Are you full of joy today? How long does it last? If you start your day full like me, what interrupts it or throws it off course? Screaming kids, work frustrations, driving anywhere there are other people on the road, someone saying something critical or hurtful, a friend or spouse disappointing you, the day does not go as planned, you don't feel appreciated, dinner is not well thought out ahead of time, etc. The list is different for everyone. And I can tell you, depending on the day, sometimes by 5-6 pm I start to feel empty, tired, frustrated, and done. Life can be exhausting!

I have been praying for God to show me what it means to be full of joy. Being a mom of 5 kids ranging from 11 months to 19 can be incredibly stressful and sometimes depressing. My mind is all over the place all the time. Thankfully, I do not live with a worried mindset, but more of how do I please everyone and take care of everyone’s needs (including a husband to love and a house to maintain!). My wants or needs never come first….(except for that early morning much much-needed alone time) and that’s ok for now. This is the season I am in.

So, as a mom (and woman who knows Christ), I should always be full of joy and rejoicing in the Lord, right? All the beautiful blessings God has given our family should prompt daily happiness…(you would assume) I mean, let's be honest, how dare I have a day when I'm feeling down and not full of joy when God has been so gracious to forgive me and give me a wonderful life. Well, it's those down days that have led me to the study of joy and how I can have that in my life even more.
 
Note how in Philippians 4:4 it says “in the Lord”. There is a tiny little detail that we must pay attention to. “You will show me the path of life, in your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalms 16:11). There it is again, “in your presence”. I have to be mindful every day (all day) to be in his presence. That is not an easy task when life is pulling you in every direction. I crave that fullness of joy. I need that in my life to make me a better wife, mom, friend, and woman of GOD ready to serve His purpose every single day!
 
Galatians 5:16 tells us to walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. It then goes into detail about the works of the flesh. These are the things that will pull you away from God and steal your joy. And we know that “the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10) But Jesus came that “we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He wants us to have the fruits of the spirit…one of which is JOY!! (Galatians 5:22) He wants us to be IN his presence and experience an abundance of joy (among many other wonderful blessings he has offered us).

As we are going “All Out” for CBC this year and have been challenged to tell at least one person a week about Jesus, I encourage you to have the heart of the man referred to in Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field”. He was so excited about  heaven that everything else could go. However, don’t hide it, tell people about it! It is not our secret to keep.
 
A popular verse that is difficult to understand sometimes is “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2). Have you been tested before? Did you rely on God and trust him to get you through that moment/season/year? What was the outcome? I have been tested, and I am aware of the clear difference between when I am obedient to God and when I am not.

I believe God brings this full circle in the parable when he says, “ Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler of many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:21).
 
I will continue to pray every day to be in his presence, to be rooted and grounded in love (Eph 3:17), and to remember that I do not support the root, but the root supports me (Romans 11:18). That is the only way I personally can walk with God. When I have an especially tough day, after everyone else has settled down, I make a hot cup of lavender-chamomile tea, try to relax, and remember that if God is willing to give me another day, then joy will come in the morning.

There are several more verses in the bible that refer to joy. I think the most beautiful one I found to perfectly conclude is “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3). Amen to that!
-Colleen Harvey