I don’t know that there’s anything else that boils my blood like not being able to find something I KNOW I know where it should be… like – full-on insanity mode. Losing things is so frustrating to me – but with mom brain and multiple little hands in the house, it happens a lot! (and it’s even more embarrassing when I’m SURE I knew where it was, but turns out I wasn’t sure after all! Ha!)
Losing stuff is annoying, but trivial. But something has been gnawing away at my heart the last few months, something we have all at some point experienced losing, and maybe still haven’t found.
Joy.
Joy. Say it again… JOY. (even the word stirs my soul, does it yours?)
Where in the world is it hiding? And, why do we seem to misplace this precious thing so frequently?
First, let’s look at what true JOY is.
The world’s definition is: (n) a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
But, sister, for us Joy is so much more than just a feeling. Feelings are fleeting. They change on a whim and are easily affected. But Scripture tells us what true joy is:
The Joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
Joy comes from the Lord (Psalm 4:7, Ecc. 2:26)
It’s linked to our salvation (Isaiah 9:3, Matt. 13:20)
It’s the reaction of our soul to the knowledge of Christ (Luke 2:10)
Joy is hope embodied and visible for others to see (John 3:29)
It accompanies the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52, Gal 5:22)
So joy, for us, is less of a feeling and more a state of being. It’s an immediate reaction to the knowledge of Christ, our hope in Him, and the outward sign of the Holy Spirit in us.
So where is your joy hiding? Here are some places you might want to check…
In the approval of others.
Sandwiched somewhere in your overwhelming to-do list.
Smashed behind boxes of your guilt and shame.
In that baggage you never fully unpacked from your past.
On top of that high shelf of worry and anxiety.
Deep in a drawer full of discouragement and depression
And maybe even under a bed of laziness or indifference.
Take heart, friends, because with Christ – what is lost can be found.
In Him is the FULLNESS of our joy. And when we fix our eyes on Him, it’s like Merry Maids coming to clean your house… Organizing your closets and putting away all the piles… and low and behold, your joy is no longer hidden away.
Have you lost your joy? Remember who He is, what He has done, what He has saved you from and what He’s saving us TO. Reconnect with the Word, with Truth and with the Spirit of God who is WITH YOU each moment. Joy is your birthright in Christ and your gift to the world around you. If it’s misplaced for you at this moment, let’s go find it!