Written By Angeline M Duran Santiago
Truth is, we don't always wake up bubbly, cheery and singing songs.
Fact is, our body sometimes aches, we crave for more sleep, and the thought of having to take any kind of transportation to work makes us cringe.
Making a cup of coffee doesn't always perk us up and get us jolly.
Nope. Not even having laid out a nice outfit the night before.
If we think about joy during a joyous season, for many it is far away.
Morning are filled with memories of better days gone by and for some, well, they just don't want to face another day.
The hurt in our spirit causes us to lash out at family and friends sometimes and so our day begins, complaining, stressed, angry, and frustrated.
And, still, with all this "Hum bug", there exists the possibility to joy.
It's in how I look at my pain and decide how and if it will lord over me.
My circumstances, the sickness and the lack in my pocket cannot and shouldn't determine the size of my peace or my comfort.
It is my attitude today on how I will face and address the many, many challenges that will come my way that will open the door to a steady flow of depression and gloom, or, yes, you said it before I wrote it, The possibility to joy.
I am learning that the more I decide to confess my hope and my faith in Christ, the more I am able to face the difficult times that come to try and oppress me. It has been made clear that my decision to follow Christ and accept Him into my life, and declare that I am alive in Him does not make me exempt from the hard times in this world or this life time. There's just no coupon out there, free or for sale that gives me a free ticket to bypass pain, frustrations, sickness, loss, or the reality that if you pinch me, I'm going to say, "Ouch!"
The possibility to joy means telling myself to get up and keep going when I may not feel too strong to go one more step. I look outside and take this view outdoors before me and realize, "This is the day that the Lord has made "for me", I will rejoice and be glad in it-(no matter what's going on around me!" God made today for me and for my family.
Joy comes when I look in the mirror and see how tired I am, (even with makeup and my hair done) and I say, "Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I say rejoice!" You are my hope today Lord, You are my strength and my peace. My eyes are on you.
The possibility to joy begins to overtake me when I decide to move in faith believing that what I have prayed for is in God's hands. Yes, I still feel sick and hurting all over but His word concerning my healing hasn't changed. Did you get that? Yes, I am tired, maybe with my last ten dollars in my purse and the gallon of milk will be gone by the time I get home from work, but I decide to believe that God will supply for my needs, my children's needs, and whatever else He knows I need until what needs to get through comes through.
Joy comes when I learn to relax and stop checking my texts and emails every two seconds, living like I was born glued to my cell phone and face book. Seriously, I see people posting the dumbest stuff sometimes, and I just walk away. I see married couples sitting in the same living room and both of them checking their status and updates, instead of putting the stupid phone down and talk about what brings joy, God's blessings, the time they need for prayer and so many other things married people need to talk about. The possibility to joy comes when the cell phone is put away and you learn to make the people in your house a priority. It's not how many "likes" you get, but how many smiles you get from your kids and your spouse that will bring true, meaningful and lasting joy!
So, my friend, it's up to you. It's up to me. We can remain in the cocoon of our present melancholy. We can focus on our heartache. We can concentrate on the pain in our back, our legs, our chest, and all over aches. We can keep our eyes on our bank account just full enough to pay the bills and some groceries, or we can change our possibilities and begin to look at the bull's eye and change our goal.
Lord, today I choose to put my eyes on you, for You are my prize. I choose the possibilities of endless joy in your presence, resting in the promises of your word and believing that you will take care of me and mine. As I write, I am waiting to hear from applications and inquiries I've made and I was emailing them to see where things stood, but as of right now and today, Lord, even those things concerning my future are in your hands. You know my ways, my ups and downs, what I do and don't need.
In you I surrender it all knowing that in You, the possibilities of joy are without measure and without limits because in You there is everlasting joy. So, my friend and family, the possibility of joy is up to you. Will you let go and let God have His way in your life, today?
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