During the past years of my life, God has richly blessed me through His Word, but also through the wise words of others. One evening in 1998,shortly after the end of my marriage, I read a quote that greatly blessed me. “Happiness is elusive and can be wiped out in a minute, but joy from the Lord is like a deep river down in your heart that just keeps flowing.” (Barbara Johnson)(1). I was overwhelmed when I realized that even though in many ways I felt like my world was falling apart, I was still experiencing the joy of the Lord — that joy was my strength.
It was a number of year later when I read the words of another woman who described that “joy” so well. Mary Southerland says it better than I can, so I will use her words:”Joy is not the result of outward circumstances. Joy is an inside job, a deeply rooted confidence that God is in control. Every trial or loss, every defeat or victory measured against this confidence can be counted as joy.”(2)
Today it is 2017 and my mind went back ten years to 2007. In my journal, I decided that my theme for 2007 would be “the joy of the Lord is my strength.” I had just gone through another difficult time. While I was still living in Ontario, my children both moved from Ontario to Alberta. Then my father had a stroke and my parents moved to a long term care facility in a town a two hour drive away. And I decided to sell my home. Yet, that confidence remained. I am writing these words to remind myself.
I can decided to take God at His word when He says in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Life has many ups and downs. Sometimes it’s hard to see how God is weaving the threads of my tapestry into anythings that makes sense. Fears overwhelm and worry keeps me from sleeping. When I face the storm, I can only see the storm, but when I turn to my loving Father, He shelters me in His arms. He reminds me that He is in control and I can feel that river of joy flow.
Yes, I can choose joy.
(1) Barbara Johnson, The Joy Journal, Kindle edition, [Nashville, Tennessee:Thomas Nelson Inc.(1996)
(2)Mary Southerland, “Choose Joy”, Girlfriends in God, January 26, 2016, http://girlfriendsingod.com/choose-joy/
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