I've been meditating on Joy this past week.
I guess it seems fitting, doesn't it? This blog IS called Joyful Momma Musings, and my website is called Joyful Momma Publishing.
At Reformers, my challenges this week have to do with the fruit of joy. (Reformers, as I said in other posts, is an addictions ministry in our church that I take part in each Friday). The definition of Joy that they give is this: "Joy is a cheerful, calm delight in all the circumstances of life" contrasted with Frustration. I started to realize just how much joy is related to meekness too, in a fresh new way. I have always known that Joy comes from God and that it is not about circumstances, but rather about God in me!
At first I was a little confused as to why the workbook contrasted joy with frustration. What?!? but then I realized that when we are joyful in the Lord (not just "happy") we are less inclined to be frustrated by the circumstnaces of life....we just roll with it.
Come on now, you too, right? I mean, when you are waiting in line at the store and someone decides to barter as if she were in the Morrocan marketplace while standing in the 20 items or less express lane with 23 items in her cart, if you are full of the Spirit you can usually cheerfully and calmly delight in it and even find some amusement in how frustrated the other customers are getting. AH but when we are in the flesh and the same thing happens we tap our feet, turn red and then blue from holding our breath, think unhappy thoughts about the dear lady, and practically breathe fire out of our noses.
that's Joy vs. Frustration....plain and simple. Think about it.
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2 comments:
Good stuff...and exactly what I needed right now. Thanks for sharing.
Great article. I remember when I was learning what true joy was in my own life a few years ago and how wonderful it is when you finally figure it out. I am striving to teach that to my children so they will happier people in the long run!
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