The floor is littered with new toys and trash while Mom and Dad,over stuffed from too many holiday treats, snooze on the couch. Ah yes, the celebration is over, the month of anticipation has finally come to an end and now we must get back on to our normal everyday lives.
Except that it’s the middle of the winter, everything is cold and dark and spring feels so very far away. And those extra five pounds added during Christmas have to be removed somehow, but below zero temperatures make one feel sluggish. With the end of the holiday season, it feels like all the air from a balloon swishing out from a deflated sad looking piece of plastic.
Everyone was cheerful and full of joy during the parties and gift exchanges, but now things are looking bleak. The pocketbook is empty, but the stomach is too full. The days are short and the work stretches out long. It’s easy to say “I’ll be happier when…things change.” When I am skinnier, when my house is back in order again, when the sun shines more frequently, when I finally reach that goal I’ve been aiming for, when my marriage is better, when I have a child, when I graduate, when my kids graduate… the list changes with each season of life and with varying circumstances, but we each have our own little vision of what would REALLY make us happy.
A few weeks ago, our pastor was speaking about joy, reminding us that it is an internal response to life, rooted in our knowledge of God. I’ve heard many times before that happiness is something that changes based upon our circumstances but joy is deeper and is unshakable because it is based on our relationship with God. But I was still mystified about how to obtain joy despite depressing surroundings.
And then I reread Paul’s letter to the Philippians. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice.”
And then it struck me like a nerf bullet between the eyes – I would be happier when I OBEYED GOD’S COMMAND TO REJOICE! Wow – it’s not like joy comes by following some 5 step plan or by getting my life in order. Joy comes from obedience, from choosing to rejoice and from changing my perspective and focus.
Over the past few years I’ve made a concerted effort to look for things to be thankful for and blessings to count, which has helped my attitude greatly. But rejoicing isn’t based upon blessings, it’s just based upon God’s character. I rejoice in God, in the fact that I can know Him and love Him and be loved by Him. That’s how joy becomes internalized. When my focus is on HIM and my relationship to Him, I am filled with joy that is unrelated to what’s going on in my life.
So, even though January can often be a time of resolutions to change things in my life, I’ve chosen to change only one thing. I know I won’t be happier if I lose 10 pounds or get more organized. I’ll really only be more content and more satisfied in my life when I put my focus on my relationship with God. I’m going to make the choice to rejoice each and every day. I hope you will too!
Rejoicing in Him,
Heather Cox
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