Now when I say it will be a lot of work, I do not mean that
joy is hard for me.Honestly I am a naturally joyful person most of the time. I
am sarcastic but joyful most of the time. But lately, I have been
swept into a world of adulthood that no one in their early twenties is mentally
prepared for even if they think they will be. I am learning that happiness is based on circumstances, joy is not.
I am the person who
stands in fields with arms stretched wide to take it all in and thank God for
making this world for me to live in. But I am also the person that cries over
hitting a squirrel with my car. I am joyful until I am not (Can I get a
witness?)
God has been speaking to me about enjoying the process of
life and finding joy in the every day mundane. Some days it is so much easier
than others. Sometimes I am getting to help lead people in worship, and for me
that is my happy place(man I have changed a lot since I started when I was 14…),
but other days I am waiting on people to answer emails and navigating this life
as a college graduate who is trying to discover God’s next step for my life.
I think we all have both of those moments in life. Whether a
mother who is trying to raise kids and feels sometimes like they are kicking
this parenting thing’s butt and then the next day it feels like they are
failing at it, or someone in the business world who is climbing the ladder and
some days you are on top of the world and others you are at the bottom of the
food chain again(even if it is only in your mind).
How do we find joy in the days that we are in the valley?
How do we continue to trust that God is in the process when we can’t even see
how we will get to the next step because we are too weak to move or we just do
not feel that joy about what God is doing anymore?
Well these verses came to mind:
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with
all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in
songs of thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7
“Those who look to him for help will be radiant with
joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” Psalm 34:5
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you
completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow
with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is
tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your
endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing
nothing.” James 1:2-4
“Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor,
but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have
everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:10
Yeah that was a lot. I have a Bible degree, what do you
expect?
When we look up at God in the valley, we see him right
there with us holding us up.
Sometimes valley moments can last a long time, others
may only last for a minute. When they come, we need to shift our perspective
and look up at God and notice that we are all in a process and that process was
not meant to steal our joy or our peace.
“And let us run with endurance the race God has set
before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates
and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross,
disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s
throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you
won’t become weary and give up.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Trust him with your heart today. Find joy in the
mundane. Let it go and just let it all happen. Your heart will thank you for
it.
