Joy?  Seriously?

In the Advent tradition, each week before Christmas has a different theme.  Week one is hope.  Week two is faith.  Week three is joy.  We too often consider joy a mere emotion.  As we all know, an emotion cannot be commanded.  We all want to “feel” joyful, but somedays we don’t!  So many things can affect our emotions; weather, physical well-being, finances, diet, relationships, sleep (or the lack of it).  Somedays are just “meh.”  There is very little in the media world that encourages joy.  It seems like the news people are on a mission of misery and fear.  Looking for something to rejoice about from most news outlets is like trying to find toilet paper in a pandemic—you have to know where to look.  Thankfully, as believers, we do know where to look, to the Lord.  His Word is filled with Himself and His ways.  During some of Habakkuk’s worst days, he wrote, “I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”  Joy is certainly an emotion but it is also a practice.  The practice of joy helps us become joyful people.  The practice of rehearsing gloom and doom makes us an Eeyore.  We can live in a broken and fallen world, with our heads out of the sand, and still rejoice in the Lord and the power of His might.  The kingdom of God is at hand and “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  The reign of Jesus is now and therefore righteousness, peace and joy can be now.   Give it a try.