Real Joy

⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions    by anointing you with the oil of joy.”-Hebrews 1:9

Have you ever noticed that when we are studying a certain aspect of our faith, reinforcement seems to come from everywhere?  Bible studies on the subject arise from places we hadn't considered before.  Pertinent scripture pops up in unrelated devotions, or in normally secular places like billboards or television shows.  Sometimes we'll even read adages from other religions or from ancient philosophers that back up our studies.


As you probably know if you have been reading my devotions, I have been studying gratitude or "eucharisteo" - a worshipful thankfulness that helps us to see God's hand in everything, everywhere, all the time.  Yesterday this reflection popped up on my Facebook page from a sight I "like":

Words to reflect upon: Gratitude is the sweet song of appreciation & can turn any experience into a gift, if we are willing to receive it.

This practice is more than just "looking on the bright side" of a bad situation.  It is the ability to never look at a situation as "bad" in the first place, but to find the gift and blessing and opportunity in everything.  It's not that we will never grieve or be angry or depressed.  God gave us emotions and we should not be ashamed to feel them.  They are part of the process of opening an unexpected gift.


When we learn how to have "eucharisteo" in all circumstances, even though we might be grieving or angry or depressed we will also feel something else at the same time... joy.  A deep-down-settled-in-your-soul joy that cannot be taken away by mere emotions.


We usually think of "joy" as a synonym for "happiness," but real joy is not an emotion.  Real joy is a state of a soul cradled in faith in, and gratitude to, God.  If we have real joy, it cannot be taken from us.    It cannot simply disappear.


We should, however, try to stay in touch with it.  We can ignore our joy with selfishness or ingratitude, or overshadow it with worry or stress.  But we can always renew it when we are willing to receive all of life as a gift and a blessing and an opportunity to see God.


Father,
Help us to see your hand at work in every corner of our lives and in every corner of the world.  Amen.


Joys:  The first day of Autumn and looking forward to seeing the changes nature will bring in the next several weeks; my favorite (large-size) coffee mug filled with steaming, aromatic coffee; looking forward to a weekend with Cecelia