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Re-Choosing Joy

Have you ever heard a story where someone is making choices so poor that you cannot imagine how they got themselves into that situation?  Then have you ever woken up one day realizing you are a mirror image of that person/situation?

I've been reading through the book of Judges lately.  Judges tells the story of the Israelites turning away from God to follow another person.  They get farther and farther away from the Lord until they are hopeless, scared, and beg God to return and show mercy.  God, being the powerful and gracious God that He is, returns.  Life is good.  A little bit later, the Israelites fall into the exact same trap of sin and distance from God until they reach a breaking point-and eventually return to Him.  Each time they leave, they come back and realize how much they need the Lord in their lives.

Reading Judges seems silly because they leave something so good, sweet, and real for something that is continuously not working, and it is a continuous spiral of sin, desperation, hopelessness-then eventual repentance.  It's frustrating to continuously read the same cycle of knowing what is true, good, and necessary, and running the opposite direction over and over.

But... then looking at my own life, am I a mirror image of this story?  Life is hard.  There is no way around it.  Loss, heartbreak, depression, and so many other devastating emotions are an inevitable part of life.  Whether you lost your dream job, had your heart broken by someone you never thought would, experienced an unexplainable death, or are battling the worst season of depression you've ever known, there are going to be trials.  God makes this clear many times in the Bible, including in John 16:33 (I have told you these things so that in me you will have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  For I have overcome the world.)

When we face these trials, we have two choices- we can run to God or run away from Him.  

Lately, depression/anxiety have not been my friend.  I've had things I've been praying for consistently not turn out as I wanted in many different areas.  I've felt loneliness, hurt, and frustration.  Through the frustration, it's been easy at times to look at God and wonder why things are happening and where He is in all of them.  It's easy to see His answer of "no" or "not yet" as silence.  Admittedly because of it, quiet times have become scarce and prayers have not been as consistent and included a bit of an angry undertone.

Something I have been passionate about for years is the difference between happiness and joy.  Happiness is situational, joy is a choice and a gift offered through Jesus that is continuous and present no matter the circumstance- I just haven't been choosing it.  

The Israelites experienced the peace of God, yet turned their back time and time again. 

There have been so many times in my life that I have become angry and wondered "Where are you, God?" just to see the situation turn out better than I could have ever imagined.  Why would God not deliver the same peace in this season?

Luckily for us, not only does God return time after time as he did in Judges, but we also have the hope and true joy of knowing Jesus.  Not only does he extend peace and joy here on earth, but we have the promise of everlasting joy as well.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Life is hard.  Sadness, anger, and hurt are all valid emotions.  But thankfully our story doesn't end in despair, and I am re-choosing Joy.

Comments

  1. Courtney BaukalSeptember 28, 2022 at 9:20 PM

    I love how our joy isn’t based on our life situations, only in Christ! It is so impressive how you’ve leaned on Christ in so many hard life situations! I love you, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 2, 2022 at 9:11 PM

    ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  3. SteveOctober 3, 2022 at 5:19 AM

    So wonderfully written Amanda. Thank you for sharing. Happiness is a fleeting emotion. Choosing joy is difficult at times but worth it.

    ReplyDelete

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