Monday, August 24, 2009

Joy!

I have 2 friends named Joy. It's a great name. I think of them every time we sing "Joy to the World" or "I've Got that Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart." I wonder what it is like being named for an emotion or a feeling. You get to hear your name spoken in a number of contexts. But I digress...

Joy is an unexplainable feeling. It is not happiness because it does not depend on a circumstance or event to be felt. I feel joy in the most unusual times. Sometimes just driving down the road, I will be filled with inexplicable joy. I can feel joy at the same time I feel sadness. I know that doesn't make much sense but it's true.

Joy swells my heart like an inflating balloon. It is a wonderful feeling. If you ever watch a small child giggle, and dance, and sparkle with the joy of just being alive, that is how I feel. I wish everyone could experience that joy sometime in his or her life.

I believe Joy comes from God. Knowing Jesus puts joy in your heart. I know it has worked that way for me. We are told to "rejoice in all circumstances" and it works. It makes sadness not so sad. It makes despair not so desperate. It makes problems easier to solve. It makes life so good.

1 comment:

  1. When I finally realized the difference between joy and happiness I found it was much easier to just (as they say) let go and let God. It's not always easy. Don't get me wrong. I'm human, which means I usually choose the difficult road. But sometimes I remember. And that is a sweet moment. Thanks for this post!

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