Joy

Joy-Of and on all week I felt to write about joy. But, considering I have
been paralyzed and unable to speak for over 30 years and now have cancer as
well, there doesn't seem to be a lot of joy in my life. Actually, though, it
is probably more like I don't have a lot of happiness in my life right now.
Happiness depends on circumstances, and mine are pretty bad, but joy depends
on Jesus. I have a lot of Jesus so I must have a lot of joy as well.

One way that I always have joy is in my eternal salvation. After 30+ of
being a born-again Christian, I am still in awe that there really is a God
and that, after life on earth is over, I will be going to Heaven to live
with Jesus FOREVER. I don't know what to expect in Heaven. I just know that
it will be wonderfully, incredibly good. It puts in perspective all the
suffering, past and present, of mine. What is 30 years compared to eternity?

Another thing that gives me joy is knowing that the Lord is always with me.
I lead a pretty lonely life so it gives me joy to know that the Lord is
always with me even when people aren't. At times, my emotions get out of
hand and I know that other people wouldn't want to be around me. In fact, I
would rather not be around myself except I can't get away from myself! It is
such a joy and comfort to know that the Lord will be with me, no matter how
I feel or what I have to go through.

One thing that always brings me joy is reading the Bible or word of God. No
matter how I feel in the morning, when I start reading the Bible, which is
the first thing I do once I get on my computer, I always feel more joyful. I
love the Bible and during the day, when I start to feel agitated, I will
stop what I am doing and start reading the Bible. Lately, I have been
looking up scriptures on Google on different topics.

I get joy in knowing that the Lord is always a refuge for me. Many times, I don't know which way to turn. When I am at my wits end, it is a joy to know that I can run to the Lord for comfort and hope. That is the key. When I am upset, run to God, not away from Him. When I am having a meltdown, that is not always easy to do.

Finally, I can have joy in the fact that my joy in the Lord is permanent. Happiness comes and goes but my joy is always there. I don't always feel it but it is there somewhere.

The night before I started to write this, my head fell off the pillow, causing pain and discomfort. While I waited for a nurse to help me, because I was planning to write on joy, I decided to see what joy I had in a definitely not happy situation. First of all, I could have joy because I knew that I wasn't alone in that predicament. It would have been nice if Jesus had picked up my head and put it back on the pillow ! Still, the company was nice. Most importantly, I can always have joy in the fact that I am going to Heaven, no matter how bad the circumstances.

Bottom line. I don't have a whole lot of happy in my life right now but I always have joy-whether I feel it or not.