What Steals Your Joy?

 

For me, the neat thing about tomorrow is having another chance.  Mornings offer a mulligan. Daily goals include getting up early to get in an easy workout at the Y, then errands, household chores and meal prep.  Tomorrow I will eat healthy, be disciplined and get back to writing that book.

Only I don’t. A five minute extension of sleep leads to 15, so I miss the exercise class.

Might as well have an unhealthy, expensive coffee frappe for breakfast.

The blame burdens my shoulders.  I go outdoors to walk.

Thank you Lord for the sunshine and cooling breeze!  Need to pray for all I know with cancer—why is my family so blessed with health?  There are so many who are grieving deaths, and those unable to see family due to quarantine facility rules.  My heart aches in empathy.

The praise prayer u-turns into sad wondering.

In stores and on streets, masks cover potential smiles and eyes seem to reflect fear.  Is everyone wondering when and where they will catch the dreaded disease? Should I be suspicious of Covid-19 statistics, or is that wrong for a Christian to do?

The questions unsettle me.   

After errands, I check social media (for “just a minute”) to check in with friends. Giving into video distractions, the upsetting news reports steal peace of mind and time.  Escalating violence, reasons not making sense. Corrupted morals, cruelty promoted, and civil servants blamed.  The internet displays poverty, disasters and sadness from all over the globe. 

 

 How can I be a good Samaritan when humanity lays hurting on the side of every road?  Who are the bleeding neighbors God wants me to love today? 

Pressured by the world's anxieties, I crave quick fixes to cheer up and move on.  There’s ice cream to devour in the freezer, the latest DVD to rent, plan a “someday” dream vacation, online shopping for fun, and (despite getting enough sleep) escaping with a nap.

With self anger and disappointment, I reflect and regret.  Temporary distractions from melancholy do not satisfy.

It’s as if there was a plan to steal joy from my, and every Christian’s life.

 

“Did God really say….?”  The Schemer encourages doubt.

The Tempter promotes his agenda, “The pleasures of this world are worth pursuing more than anything else.” 

“Prayer is fruitless, studying the Bible is too difficult and churches are after your money.” The Father of Lies whispers in ears deafened to truth.

 

Question: How do I fight against all that is stealing my joy?  How do you?

 

Answer: Do the opposite of what Satan, a sin-filled world, and selfishness leads us to do.

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Please fill me with wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Make my goal to please you, bearing fruit in every kind of good work and growing in knowledge of your grace.  Strengthen all your children with your glorious power. Then we will have complete patience, joyfully giving thanks to Jesus, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.      Amen             (Colossians 1:9-13, my paraphrase)