Count it all as Joy
Definition: a feeling of great happiness; a source or cause of great happiness; something or someone that gives joy to someone ; success in doing, finding, or getting something
Some say real joy is a good box of chocolate, or a tasty glass of wine. Other will say that joy is a look of happiness on a newborn child's face. Or is it that Joy is finally getting that long paper finished and handed in during those long years of education?
What is Joy to me? This is what I will be reflecting on today.
To me, joy is a state of being. It means to look for the good in all those troubling times and being thankful for that. It is something that can happen at any time, on any given day, during any task at hand.
In the Bible, it is shared that we were commanded to Count it ALL as Joy- James 1: 2. (http://biblehub.com/james/1-2.htm) This is not a natural reaction, it is a learned and practiced one. In James, James was telling us that we will be experiencing those taxing, hurtful, struggling times in our life. He was sharing that to get through those times with perservance was to count it all as joy. Look for the positive in those moments where you just wonder if there is anything positive that could ever happen again. When we are being tested, it gives us a chance to grow, to stretch, to become the person we were meant to become.
Need a real life example? Read on...
My best friend is currently looking for Joy in his present state of living. His middle child, a son of teenage years, has decided to move out and move in with his mentally ill mother. There is much back stabbing, lying, deceit, and trouble brewing for my buddy. This is affecting his mood, his time spend with his other children and even his loved ones. The situation looks dire. The relationship with this particular child is strained and is on the verge of collapse, at the child's choice. B has tried and tried to make things better with his son. He has asked for advice, reached out for assistance and has done much reflection on this. This is a great sorrow for him.
Where is the joy in this situation?
He has learned that he can handle much more stress that he thought he could. He was able to try and make his own, new stress managment
Joy in death? It can be so...
No one wants to die. No one likes to be left behind when a loved one passes on. There are those patients that I see that are enjoying their every moment of life prior to passing on, leaving lots of smiles, hugs, kisses, kind words behind for those living to hang on to.
Joy is to me....
To me, I experience great joy when my Buddy Cat comes to me when I am still in bed and crawls into my arms, wanting to be cuddled and held.
To me, I experience great joy being at the oceanside. Being in the ocean restores my soul and that reconnection to me, helps me see joy and heal of my hurts.
To me, I experience joy with the simple taste of mango, as there are memories attached to it.
To me, my joy comes to me when I have accompished a great task or something as simple as having a patient in my workplace tell me that I made a difference in their life for the few moments that I spent with them.
Joy is out there for us to experience. It comes to us if we look for it at times, when it doesn't seem possible. It can come from a smile, a telephone call, a memory, a taste, a thing, an experience or just a realization.
Look for joy in your life today... and share it!
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