A Faith Journal

In 2023, when I did this last time, my second post for joy was about pain being the opposite of joy. In some ways that is true but truly whatever robs you of joy is your opposite. Which means just about any emotion, experience or person could be the opposite of joy for you. 

Let me explain through my recent experiences. After Chris passed, I was experiencing every emotion just about daily. Which can really wear on a body. I could go from sobbing, to screaming, to laughing and then crying for joy in a matter of a few hours, sometimes minutes. Over time, the joy part became less evident and anxiety and sadness would creep in more. I spent the first 6 plus months without a job or really any prospects for one. It was a blessing to have that time to grieve but it also gave me a lot of time to overthink and be anxious. I could easily say I was joyful that Chris was now whole and not in pain. I was joyful he is with God and other family members that have gone on before, but joyful for my shattered life, no way. Joy was for Chris alone. 

Over the last 6 months though, I’ve been finding joy again. My job, family, friends, community, and especially God have been showing me, in different ways, how to see the joy in and around us all. For family and friends, joy is found in coming together to share and create memories. This can be sad, scary, happy, or depressing but when we take the time to come together, the joy that God wants us to experience is there for us to take if we are just willing to let the goodness of God shine through the memories. For the community, joy comes when you give freely of yourself to help someone else. Being a part of a community that gives even though they themselves are hurting is a true sign that God is blessing His people with the love and care that they need. Even though it may not seem like it is a lot. Each person’s little bit is more than enough to spread joy abundantly for all involved. God is in every moment, but some moments are easier to see him than others. Those moments, more often than not for me, are found when I seek a quiet moment in His creation. The joy found in those moments are special because they are for you alone.

On a recent hike, I was able to sit in awe of God’s creation as I was on a mountain looking out over the hills and valleys all around me. As I was looking out, I saw a bird soaring high above the trees but also at my eye level. A few times, as the bird flew by, I felt like I could just reach out and touch it. I was so full of joy from this experience that God let me be a part of, but also sadness because I was there alone. Don’t get me wrong, I chose to be alone on this hike. The sadness was because the person I used to share these moments with is gone. Yet I know Chris is happy that I’m still getting out of my comfort zone and moving forward. I wasn’t happy to be on this hike by myself, but I was starting to see that joy was for me as well. No matter what is trying to rob you of joy, find time to connect with God so He can show you the joy He wants for you. If you are struggling to fight your joy robber, find a friend, family member or someone you can trust and let them know. It’s always easier to battle joy robbers when you have someone at your side and able to lean on when the hard times hit.