I am sure that each of you reading this post has experienced the joy that you feel when you are learning about or experiencing something that may be new to you. It can cover all sorts of things that can come up in your life. Perhaps, it is about starting a new chapter in your life, such as starting a new job, getting out on your own in a new city, or having a new place to live. Perhaps, it’s about finding the love of your life, discovering the beauty of having a family, and the list goes on and on from there.
The problem comes when things get tough, as they often do, when we are starting that new chapter. Sometimes we have rough patches that we need to get through like the loss of a spouse or family member or friend or when something changes within our life that are different than what we have been used to. Sometimes it’s because we are scared and unsure of what to do or how to handle certain things that have changed because of that new chapter. When that happens, we can lose some of that joy and it is where we allow stress to take over, instead. (Related post: Living Life Joyfully)
I bring this topic up because, well, it’s life after all and it happens to all of us. We aren’t alone but I have come to realize that my joy returns when I really focus on and study the Bible. I just love that it is a living book of stories that can help us to better understand the world that we are living in today and it gives us guidance on how to live our lives in a way that honors our God. In addition, there is the added bonus of hearing the testimonies of others who have done a deeper dive into the Bible. When we really listen to what others know then that can and should inspire us to dig a little deeper and find out more, as well. This is where we can find our joy of discovering new ways of thinking about something or even rediscover that joy that wore off some with the stressing things that we may have going on in our everyday lives.
We cannot control the world, we can only control ourselves and even how we react to what is going on around us. The thing is, is that when we remember that we have invited God into our lives, then we can begin to see that joy of discovery is renewed through a living God who lives within us. He surrounds us, daily, in small ways and in big ways. He lives in the air that we breathe, in the wind and in the rain. He lives in the animals and in the flowers and in the trees. He lives in the passing of the seasons. He lives in the words that we read in His Holy Scripture. He lives within others and the testimonies that we hear and what we see.
There is a joy in understanding that our God surrounds us with His presence. There is a joy in discovering that at our lowest, our God never departs from us but, instead, is carrying us through it to the other side. There is a joy in knowing that our God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sin so that we could be with Him in Heaven. There is a joy in discovering that peace that passes all of our understanding of who our God is because He is timeless. That joy of discovery comes from believing that in living a good life on Earth, with our God at the center, then we can look forward to time with Him after in Heaven through our trust and belief in Jesus. There is joy in our hope, our peace, our discovery and most of all in our journey. Our joy of discovery should always be focused on our living God who lives in us.
What did I learn from this? When I feel and see God in the midst of the chaos of this world, I feel peace and joy and love and …. There aren’t enough words to describe those feelings, sometimes. That’s what it means to me to have a continuous joy in the discovery of who our God is. Are there times that I am overwhelmed by what I am going through? Of course, I am!! That’s what makes me human, but when I instead reach out to God during those times, He reminds me of how much I am loved and cherished. There is such joy in that beautiful feeling that keeps me going. (Related post: God Calls Us to Scatter Joy Like Seeds to Others)
So, what can you gain from this? I don’t know what you are going through or even how you are feeling toward yourself or even toward God. Just know that our God never leaves you and never will. Find your joy, again, by asking Him to help you through it. Just don’t forget that you are never, ever alone because we have a God who loves you so, so much. He will always meet you right where you are, but He doesn’t leave you there. That is part of your joy in discovering a truly loving God.
