Waterfalls of Joy

Where do I begin? It seems like forever ago since I sat down and wrote out my thoughts. This past week has been a bit challenging. Admist the busyness of the day to day, I have found quiet moments in the evenings, at home, debating between checking into the tv or writing out my thoughts. Each day this week, doing the nothing felt more convenient than having to process what I was thinking. However, the last two days, my emotions and thoughts began to get the better of me.

Supposedly it's normal to feel frustrated when you are "let down". And I spent more time than probably necessary fuming inside over the whys. But there really wasn't anything I could do to change the circumstances then, and there is nothing I can do about it now.

With another situation, I was given some great advice last night that I don't want to forget. Everyone is given a ministry, in God's eyes, they are all equal. I must focus on my ministry and the tasks that God has given me to do and allow others to follow through with the ministry they believe God has given them. In the coming week, I will get the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with some girls as well as introduce Him to a few others. Instead of focusing on the opportunities that I have in front of me, Satan has been able to distract me with other "worries".

With both of the circumstances, I no longer want to allow Satan to have the upper hand. I seek out truth and find, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself." (Philippians 2:3) I then picked up a book I haven't read in a while, one thousand gifts by Ann Voskamp. In short, I need a new perspective. I raise the question, where does joy come from and how does it differ from happiness. I think I have come to the conclusion that joy is a fruit of the spirit. It's not an emotion as is happiness. Emotion stems from the mind, fruits of the spirit, from the heart. When I serve others out of a heart for serving Jesus, I find joy. When I read truth, deepen my relationship with Jesus and desire Him more, I find joy. When my heart is in love with my God, I find joy.


So where do I find joy admist the situations I have faced this past week and the struggle that Satan has had over me? I find joy in knowing that when I call upon the name of the Lord, He hears me, and He has the power to defeat evil, no matter what form it comes in. He has the ability to convict me when my own emotions have taken control and He also has the wisdom to heal me and grow me through these times.  


Perspective. Struggle. Worldliness. Joy. Somehow, admist all the good and bad times that this world brings, if our perspective is in focus with Jesus, then joy will overflow like a waterfall and create a ripple effect at the bottom. A small child see's this world in an upward focus. They look straight ahead and find simplicity. They look up and find help. We are to have a perspective of a child. God asks us to walk with him and He will direct out paths. The road in front of us is simple, we make it complicated. God asks us to look up and seek Him in all times and in all situations. We look up and can find Jesus, just sometimes there may be clouds in the way. However we see the complications or clouds, there is still a plan for the next step and Jesus is still right where He always is, with us no matter the environment we may sense.


A waterfall. There is power, beauty, and magnificence in the creation of such a thing. As joy begins to flow down towards the "fall", it gets stronger, and when the water does hit the bottom, it continues to flow out. As joy flows through us, there may be times that it feels like it "falls", but when it hits the bottom, it continues to flow. We too find times where joy is strong and flowing in us, and then a situation comes and we think we have lost the joy, but really, as we go through that "fall", joy has a way of continue to spill out of us even after the pain and suffering that we have faced has happened. And this only happens, because our joy is found in Christ and not in the things of this world. We receive happiness from things of this world and therefore it's not consistent. We receive joy from Christ and therefore can feel joyful, not matter what this world brings.

I choose to be joyful, admist the struggles and difficult times this world brings. Praise Jesus that this is not my home. My home is a place where there is no sin, crying or pain. My home is filled with others who also love Jesus. My home is in His arms. My home is safe. I am on a mission to this land, to pray for and share the love of Jesus with those who don't know. No matter what this land brings, I have the joy of the Lord to keep me striving forward toward my home. Step by step, His joy flows through me, as I seek to do His will and complete the task that He has prepared me to do with Him.