The Joy of Today

I've spent a lot of time in my life focusing mainly on the "joy in the future." But what about the joy of today? Joy is different from "feeling happy." Joy runs deep, and joy comes from the Lord. Happy is a circumstantial thing, and usually our circumstances change moment to moment.

It's like this: A house is built on a foundation. Those bricks are laid and the cement is poured, the foundation is always the same. The paint on the outside of the house can be changed, the decor of the house can change, even the people living in the house can change, but the foundation, when built properly, never changes. It's always the same.

When our joy is built upon Christ, and we know that His existence in our life never changes, then as the circumstances around us change, our foundational hope and joy does not change.

We have a clear conscience that we are doing all we can do to make our joy foundational, and as we abide in Him, we can rest assured, our joy will be supplied. Attitude is a choice. Smiling is a choice. Joy, is provided. That's the difference. We cannot choose to be joyful in Christ if the foundation has not been laid that way. We can however at any moment say the Lord of All, that we need Him, and we want to start over how our lives have been built up to this point. I think that is what many of us do when we come to the saving knowledge of Christ. We recognize the mess were in, see the pain that plagues our every move, and the unrest that settles within our souls, and we see our need for Him. His joy. His peace. His foundation.

My joy for today is not there because my life is roses all the time. In fact, if you look at most of our lives out there, we are all living in some sort of muck, or issue. But even in the muck, there can be joy. I may not always like what takes place on any given day, but I can choose a smile, choose and attitude that reflects what I know to be true about Christ, and pray that His joy will overtake me. And guess what? It does.

It's by His strength that joy exists in my life...or even can exist. The choice for a smile, or a good attitude are fine, but they will fade when done in ones strength. Just because we have deep-rooted joy, we do not always have to walk around smiling like clowns. We can say, even though it's raining, I have joy in Christ. And the difference is in how we are able to face our problems, have prospective in our pain, and joy when it doesn't make sense.

I am not always the best example of this however, but I think I'm on the right track at least. I always look to Paul in the Bible for a better example, you want to see joy in pain? Read his story about singing praises to the Lord while being chained in prison. That is deep rooted joy.

I am not afraid any more of what might happen (most days) because I see that regardless, He supplies me with my most basic needs, and supplies me with the joy I need to overcome the sadness that the enemy loves to have me get lost in.

Joy is having perspective, even in the midst of trial. And as always, I am but a work in progress, but any progress at all means that I am not standing still. And the only time the enemy catches you is when you are completely still in your walk.

So I continue to walk forward in the strength of Christ, seeking His joy for each day, and knowing all the while that whatever I ask for in His name, (within the boundaries of His will) will be given to me. I think an understanding of His will can be described as: seeking Him with all I do, say, and think. And I think, seeking eternal joy in His power, would be something He would be pleased by? So I continue on in that journey. Seeking that. Praying for that. I may have to take it one day at a time, perhaps hours at a time, but I know how to put one foot in front of the other when I am prayerfully considering each step.

So in joy I can walk forward in this day, despite the rain, despite feelings of being lonely, despite the aches and pains of life. Joy can be present. And perhaps, a smile. :)