Joy

          This morning, as I was driving into work, I was overwhelmed with sadness and anxiety over the last several weeks and weeks to come. One of the beautiful things about having a 30-40 minute drive to work is that it gives me plenty of time to spend with the Lord in prayer. One of the pitfalls to having a 30-40 minute drive to work is that it gives me plenty of time to think and dwell on the negative and stressful situations that are awaiting me when I get to work. When I first began the job I am currently in, I was elated. I couldn’t believe the awesome opportunity that awaited me each day to pour into the lives of others and to make a difference. After all, I’m a social worker and making a difference is what we do!

          The problem with this thought process, however, is that I was putting my hope in the idea that this job was going to bring me joy and contentment. I was putting my faith in my own abilities and in thinking that if I did a good enough job, it would make me happy. For a little while, this was the case. Don’t we all do this from time to time? We put our hope in things or people and expect to get joy from the tangible things of life.

          The longer I have been in this job, the more I have found that people are not always what they seem, no matter what they may claim to be, and that if we are putting our hope in people or things, we will often end up disappointed. We weren’t meant to put our faith and hope in others. We aren’t meant to find our joy in the things of this world. The Lord and I had a lot to talk about this morning, rather, the Lord had a lot He wanted me to hear this morning.

          But in the midst of the tears, grief, and anxiety, I found myself still singing and praying to God to renew my spirit and that I would find my strength in Him. Although my emotions may have been all over the place and I was feeling downcast, I felt joy in my soul. Joy, true joy is found in the Lord, it’s an attitude of our heart. It’s not an emotion or a feeling, but a state of being. John 16:33 states “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (ESV). Although I have felt the emotions of sadness and stress, I have also had a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

          I was listening to a song by Housefires, simply titled “Joy” this morning. One line of the song states “In Your presence there is freedom, In Your presence there is fullness, In Your presence there is joy, Joy forevermore.” This is the most accurate depiction of what joy is, outside of what is found in scripture. Even in our most broken state, we can still have joy in the Lord. Romans 15:13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (ESV). Through tear filled eyes, I was still able to enter into the day with joy in my soul and a song in my heart.

          If I have learned anything from not only this weekend, but life itself, is that if we put our hope in others, eventually we will be disappointed. But if we put our hope in the Lord, we will have joy forevermore. He won’t let us down, He will never disappoint us. We will face hard times in this life due to the fact that we live in a fallen world, but as we are told in His word, Jesus has overcome the world. It’s easier said than done to live in a state of peace and joy, but that’s where our reliance on God’s strength comes into play. We absolutely can’t do it on our own, but through His strength, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13).