Joy

"I've got joy down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart."

Remember that fun song we would sing at church camp, VBS, children's church and various other places? The thing that gets me is this : as adults, we so often lose our joy. Why is that? I mean, if something is "deep, deep down" it means we REALLY BELIEVE it, right? I think that for too many of us, we have forgotten where real joy comes from. Think with me for a minute. When was the last time you could say you experienced "JOY"? For some of you, it may take a really long time to think of a time you EVER had true joy. For others, it's simple.

The concept of joy has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now. But I really got to thinking about it a few days ago as I was driving Hannah to school. We have a "Night of Praise" coming soon at our church and have been listening to a CD of the music we will be doing that night. Hannah asked for a specific song to be played (it is one that the children's choir will be singing) and when it started, my heart swelled and I had tears of JOY in my eyes as she sang along with such conviction and innocence. The words? "Lord, I love you. You're the keeper of my heart, the healer of my soul. I give my life to you."

In Psalm 51:12, we read David's prayer and request for God to "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." If you have come to a point in your life where you have asked God to forgive you of your sins, come into and take control of your life, you know what David meant. True JOY comes from God and from knowing Him.

So, why do we - even those of us who are Christians - lose our joy at times? Too often, we begin to focus on the world around us and ignoring God and His plans for us. We get so wrapped up in every day life that we forget that God wants to give us joy in even the little things. In Nehemiah 8:10, we are told "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Not only will we receive joy if we are seeking God but we will also regain strength. What more could we ask for?

The reason I've been thinking of joy for the last few weeks is this: while sitting and talking as a family preparing for Kathy's funeral service, Michelle mentioned a statement Kathy had written (I can't remember if it was in a journal or a personal note). She stated that through her pain, we were her joy. Even though she was dealing with struggles daily, she looked at the things God had given her and found JOY in them.

The next time you lose your joy - or if you currently are dealing with the struggle to find it - remember these things:

1) True JOY is found only in Jesus Christ

2) If you bury that JOY "deep, deep down" in your heart, it is more likely to take root.

3) Keep your eyes, ears and heart open to moments of JOY around you.

Father God, I pray that you will help me remember to see moments of joy. To not get caught up in every day life and forget to seek Your love. And for my family and friends - and anyone else who may have stumbled upon this post - please bring them comfort and joy. Help us all to see that no matter what we face in life, you want to be our JOY and our strength. Thank you for that promise and Your faithfulness . . .