Fill Yourself With Joy

So, it has been almost a year since the last time I posted anything! Time has gotten away from me. Since my last post "Adopted Sons," I have graduated high school, worked at a summer camp, started my first year of college, committed myself to a wonderful, long distance relationship with my lovely girlfriend, and most recently I finished my first semester of school! Long story short, I have learned a few things this past year. More specifically, I have learned to find joy in just about everything I do. The ironic thing is that I have been really struggling to do this the past few weeks, which is honestly why I feel the need to talk about it.

We live in a world full of sin and it is so easy to get caught up in the "patterns of this world." Sadly, we live in a world full of judgment, discrimination, unhappiness, and low self-esteem. Left and right we are being told we are not good enough, not pretty enough, that we are not the best. Honestly, living in this world is tough. As we go throughout our day, living life, these negative messages are constantly fed into our brains. If you look in from the outside, its hard to imagine how anyone can find joy in this. I am not saying that every body's life is unhappy and depressing, but I am saying that we live in a very negative and sinful world.

Everyone has a reason to be happy. No matter what people are going through in life, there is always something or someone that provides people with the happiness they desire. As Christians, we have all the reasons in the world to be joyous!

"You will live in joy and peace.

       The mountains and hills will burst into song,

       and the trees of the field will clap their hands."

                        - Isaiah 55:12

 

As cliché as it sounds, God loves us, which in and of itself is a reason to rejoice forever. The one thing I have really learned about joy over this last year, is that you can find joy in everything God puts in your life. Whether it has been a hard day, your child is acting out, or your plans do not go according to the way you thought them out.

 

 

"All things work to the good of those who love God..."

                       - Romans 8:28

 

 

I have learned to find joy in everything, even if it is bad because I know every little thing is going to be alright (Bob Marley reference, I could not help it). Really, it is going to be okay. I do not know what you are going through, I do not know your life, but you will get through the trials and struggles. God is here for you, and because of that, we get to live in joy and peace. He gives us that peace and joy because nothing else can.