Not long ago, I went to a basketball game to watch several boys from our school play against other boys their age. I watched as the boys ran the ball up and down the court, each one giving their individual best for the team. I listened to the cheers of the crowd and watched as parents encouraged the boys on either side of the court. It was such a delight to watch! As I drove away with my family, I caught myself still smiling in the car. I realized that the experience of watching those boys play filled my heart with joy.
There are other things that cause my heart to smile; the laughter of a child, God’s amazing creation, children praising the Lord, watching the expression on my children’s face as they experience something new, my family, and my job.
On the flip side are the things that tend to rob me of my joy; financial stress, unmet expectations, pressure from jobs, and family strain. But the Bible says “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
This is not an easy undertaking! To be honest in the midst of a trial, it takes me awhile before I can sit back and say “Okay, Lord.” I may not call it “pure joy”; however I am beginning to be cognizant of the blessings within the trials. It is through these struggles that I am stretched in my understanding and drawn closer to the One who gives and takes away.
As I was praying about this, God gave me a devotion that simplified and summarized my thoughts. The devotion was by a well-known author, Patsy Clairmont, and the crux of her devotion was one simple word “enjoy”. That simple word resonated in my mind for days-enjoy: to relish, to appreciate, to delight, to love, and to adore!
The word enjoy is not passive, it requires action. So I took this on as a personal challenge, to enjoy each day and experience God’s joy! God doesn’t promise a life full of easy streets, rather just the contrary. He promises that in this life we will have struggles. So I have a choice. How am I going to respond? I want to be purposeful in my living; therefore I strive to begin each day with thanks, to delight in my kids, to appreciate the sunrise and sunset, to celebrate each new situation as an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord, to love and adore my family, and to relish in His blessings. I am determined to enjoy both the blessings and the opportunities for me to grow, so that one day, by the grace of God, I will be “mature and complete, not lacking anything”.
