The amount of joy I’ve been feeling lately is far beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s just overwhelming and I can’t get this big grin off my face!
But why? Things are going well and life is still an adventure, but none of that explains why my heart just feels like it’s about to explode with happiness and excitement. Obviously, it’s the Joy of the Lord, but I couldn’t figure out why it is so incredibly intense…
Until I started looking back.
Within a span of 5 days in February 2022, I had another faith-based breakup; my sister died and I found myself taking care of all of her end-of-life responsibilities; and my best friend, the furry love of my life, Gonzo Dog, showed me he had a tumor forming in his mouth. One that would ultimately take his life.
There were many more tough things going on, at the time. Too many to list and I remember screaming at satan one day, “HIT ME WITH WHATEVER YOU WANT! YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO ME THAT MY GOD WON’T USE FOR GOOD! YOU MAY THINK YOU CAN DESTROY ME BUT WHATEVER YOU DO WILL ONLY BRING GOD GLORY SO HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!”
I don’t suggest doing that! I mean I seriously don’t suggest doing that unless you’re fully prepared to thank God for every hit you take and every heartbreak you face. Satan took on that challenge and certainly tried his best to destroy me. However, thanking God for the crap and choosing joy in the midst of suffering turns the tables and DESTROYS the enemy! It’s not easy, but those are POWERFUL weapons!
So, in 2022 and 2023, during some of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, I chose Joy and Gratitude. Through many tears, I chose to not let the enemy steal my joy or cause me to question God.
So, what happened? I am now realizing just how powerful that was! My Joy muscle was pushed beyond fatigue back then, making it so strong now that, during the good times, when I don’t NEED to choose it, it just overflows on its own. So many doors to show people Jesus have been opened because of this and that is exactly what satan was trying to keep from happening.
I wrote the blog below a little over a year ago and, looking back, am now so grateful for all the pain that pushed me to the point where I HAD to choose Joy, or I would have fallen into a pit of despair, self-pity, and self-destruction.
When everything hurts and life seems unbearable, choosing Joy seems counterintuitive, but we are called to do it for our own benefit. It is a powerful weapon against the enemy and, when things are good, the Joy you’ll feel naturally will be overwhelming.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
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I choose joy too 🙏❤️