It has been said that joy is one of God’s greatest gifts. And though this may sound like an exaggeration, what anguish we experience when our lives become gloomy, anxious, or bitter! Most of us have lived through one of these dry spells, so we understand that to lose our joy is to lose a precious gift. It is a treasure to cherish, nurture, protect, and share with others.
In sports, the team or player who competes with enthusiasm has a certain advantage over those who play solely by rote or for a paycheck. Talent, teamwork, and good tactics, combined with joy, is an effective strategy.
The same holds true in other walks of life, including from the most elevated positions of employment to the humblest routine jobs. Joy is an indispensable ingredient in the formula for fulfillment, and without it, our work and even life itself can lose its zest.
Two thousand five hundred years ago, Nehemiah, the governor of Judah, exhorted his people not to grieve, but to work with joy, while they were embarking on the huge task of rebuilding the protective wall around the city. His counsel, recorded for us in the Bible, still rings true today, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
We can find happiness in the simple pleasures of life and in being thankful for what we have rather than looking over the fence to see if the “grass is greener on the other side.” We also find joy in giving to others; sometimes it may be material things, but it can also be our time, a listening ear, a compassionate response, a tender prayer, or a bit of wise advice in a time of need. And last but not least, we find lasting joy in pursuing the true spiritual riches in life through knowing Jesus and the truth in the Bible, which lifts us above the mundane and superficial.
We pray that in this month’s Activated magazine you will find inspiration that will lead you down the path where you can enjoy not only the great pleasures of life, but also the smallest daily blessings, remembering that joy is not something we are meant to experience only at the final destination, but rather it carries us along the road as we travel life’s journey.