“To suffer woes…to forgive wrongs…to defy Power, to love, and bear…to hope till hope creates from its own wreck the thing it contemplates—this alone is Life and Joy.”
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
No matter what age or stage of life you are in, there is always more to learn. Years ago, after writing a book entitled Who Stole My Joy?, I made a conscious decision to enroll in Joy University and now I find that although I am constantly learning it is good to pause and reflect on what I have learned thus far.
My first thought was that, “Everything I learned about Joy, I learned while in the midst of life’s challenges.” Here are just four of my special Joy lessons:
Happiness is not the same as JOY
Joy is not impulsed satisfaction: rather, joy is a celebration of the heart towards things that do not change. Happiness is centered on things happening. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy is not based on circumstances or feelings, which can change like the weather. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, which is offered graciously to all of us by God. Life is filled with unexpected situations. The one who strives and seeks for happiness during trying times will perish when the pleasure that is sought is finished. The one who seeks for joy will be productive and fruitful even in a dry season. So making a decision to choose Joy ensures the perfect rhythm for an abundant life!
JOY is Possible
To those who have somehow dismissed Joy as a “pollyannish” response to life, have in the process, decided that joy is not possible because they must keep it real. I have learned that the joy process is not a plastered smile or a hyped up enthusiasm to prove to the world that you are in a good mood. Joy is the inner workings of peace that keep you connected to
God. You can have moments of doubt or despair, but somehow you always make your way back to a peace that surpasses your own understanding. The real core of joy is peace and love and you can continue to keep it real, but you should never deny yourself the opportunity to experience “real joy” in the midst of life’s circumstances. After confronting the brutal facts, you consciously decide that Joy will prevail in the end!
to be continued...
August is Filled with Joy!
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Sandra Steen, Contributing Writer
Camille Turner-Mason
Editor-in-Chief
iRock Purpose Blogspot
Contact: camille@thepurposewithin.com
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