Joy

Well, if you've been a Christian for any length of time, you have heard that little word that means oh so much: joy. I wish I could say that I have perfected the art of being joyful, but honestly when the conditions of life are less than what would be considered favorable, and you don't know what's going on or what the outcome of challenging situations may be, you soon come to realize that having joy isn't as easy as one would initially think. There have been a couple of situations that I've been going through and I find myself crying about them, whining about them, and yes, praying about them, but joy is far from one of the emotions I am feeling. Last Sunday I taught on how joy is a key part of having the love as the fruit of the Spirit in your life, that joy that comes from loving and trusting in God's sovereignty, that joy that can weather any storm, that joy that is purely for the purpose to bring God glory even in times of struggle. After teaching that lesson, it seems like God has continuously brought it again and again across my path that I am to "rejoice always". It's been in such a way that I couldn't ignore it if I tried. I need to get out of my pity parties, and truly start trusting in God and having joy always.