Joy in the Dark
Our culture bombards us with advertisements about things that will make us happy and feel better. However, they are just things. This leads to us equating happiness to what happens in life. If it is going well, we are happy. If not, we are anything but.
What we really need is an unquenchable joy deep down inside that can’t be quenched. It’s what we can hold on to during the darkest times of life. But most of us can’t find it while grasping at the happiness promised by our culture. All that noise causes confusion and distraction from the genuine need.
I have enjoyed the first month of this year. My cover design is coming along well. I’ve managed a good deal of writing. I’ve started the process of publishing my book by at least setting up my accounts and asking questions. My work in progress gained a few thousand words more. I gained an opportunity to share what I’ve learned and help facilitate a six-week mastermind starting later this month. These scare me, excite me, and bring a great deal of joy when it happens.
I did all of this while multiple sclerosis continues to make my hands like they are half asleep with numbness and tingling. A shoulder that is improved with three weeks of physical therapy, but still needs work. At least February came with less need for Aleve in order to start my day. I could have said no to doing any of it. I could have let my ailments totally quench my writing.
But I must write. God gave me this talent to share about Him and His ways. It brings up a joy within because I’m doing what He made me to do. It only gets hard when I run off with an idea that was not His, when I am trying to fit our cultural world view instead.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. His strength giving joy is what I need to accomplish life to the fullest. He promised to give us life abundantly. All I have to do is reach out and accept the gift of that life. I have to hang onto Him. I must listen for His still quiet voice that can cut the loudest noise of the world. His correction in the dark when heeded is light to my soul.
My joy is not based on my circumstances. I’m not just happy right now because the writing life is going well. I’m also not moping around because of the pain that has floored me. Even on the bad days, the joy wells up when I followed God’s direction instead of my own ideas, or the world’s.
Test the joy factor of your life. Does it persist even in the darkest of times? If it doesn’t, then it is time to stop chasing the loud, distracting noises and seek the quiet voice waiting to draw us into the source of unquenchable joy.