Find Your Joy

Have you ever felt just… blah? Not really depressed, but not joyful either. I’ve been lax in my writing lately for a couple of weeks now because I’ve been experiencing some of that recently.

Life sure gets tedious sometimes, doesn’t it? Money issues, health issues, relationship issues, work issues, etc., all gets to be too much at times and I find myself just wanting to unplug from it all. After several days of long work hours in the past couple of weeks, I’ve really tried to turn my mind off. So I sit down to relax and figure I’ll see what’s going on in the online world for a bit. But before long, I realize I’ve ‘doom-scrolled’ my evening away on Tik-Tok. And you know, if you’ve spent any amount of time at all on social media, especially these days, the hate, division and darkness is out there and it’s all on full display online. It is constantly bombarding us, it seems. It’s toxic to our souls and some days it gets hard to find hope. It’s no wonder why we get mired down in it all.

Social media is constantly selling us on the idea that we can find joy in our physical existence, our material things. All we need to be happy is to be thinner, richer, to buy the next ‘new’ thing, to take that dream vacation and so on and so on. Not to mention, we see everyone’s highlight reel, don’t we? We see what they want us to see. We don’t get to peek behind the curtain to see that their lives are full of as many pitfalls and struggles as our own. Yet, we constantly compare ourselves and wonder why we’re not as successful and as happy as those people. Let me tell you a secret… they’re not.

2 Corinthians 10:12 – ‘For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves; but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.’

Let’s face it. In our Christian lives, anything that takes up too much of our time and keeps us away from our relationship with Christ is at risk of becoming an idol. I know I’m certainly guilty of this. Don’t keep searching for your joy or peace in earthly places and things. You’ll be disappointed every time. Earthly things are temporary… God is eternal

So where do we find our joy you ask? What a great question…I’m happy to tell you! Well, at the risk of shooting myself in the proverbial foot as someone who does an online blog I have one word for you – unplug. We need to unplug from social media and all the ‘doom-scrolling’ and plug ourselves back into communing with God and reading His word. Rejoice in Him. Take a look at your life and all of the many, many things and ways in which God has blessed you and remember to thank Him daily. Rest assured in the knowledge that God is with you always and wants only the very best for you.

Philippians 4:4-7 ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

Put the phone down. Put it in a drawer. Put it away somewhere or even just turn it on silent mode for an hour or two. Take a walk outside, breathe some fresh air and have a heart to heart conversation with God. Tell Him all about your struggles and issues you’re wrestling with and let Him fight your battles for you. Allow His peace and love to wash over you and rediscover that joy you’re missing. Try starting off your day with coffee and a devotional instead of jumping right into your email or opening Facebook to see what you think you’re missing out on. Make time for Him and re-establish Him as the priority in your life.

The bottom line is God is our source of strength, joy and hope. His love is eternal and He should be our top priority, not our online presence or how many followers we have. This world is oh so very temporary and God has already conquered this world… rest in Him.

Jeremiah 31:25 ‘For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.’