Find the Joy

As we move into the Christmas season , I was thinking how great it is that we can bring Joy into peoples lives .. At the beginning of covid when we were not able to travel we had such discouragement , but we hung on to the Joy that we had, and even made this sign that is still on our porch today.  But maybe I was wrong , we do not choose Joy, we can choose Happiness , but JOY is a gift given to us. 

Last week I had a couple things that reminded me that Joy is not a man made or controlled occurrence.  It is a GIFT from God.  Our pastor shared last Sunday how there is a distinct difference between Joy and Happiness .. Happiness is a man made, but JOY is a gift from God.  We can be happy and have Joy , but at the same time we can be sad and still have the Joy .  As I was deliberating on this , we had a visitor stop by the house and out of the blue he shared an experience he had many years ago. 

He stopped in at a business that he often delt with. He always liked going there because the manager was a believer and was always so uplifting to be around.  While there the owner of the company stopped in and started tearing a strip off the manager and was nasty and belittling.  He was so abusive that even the secretaries started to cower and even left the room.  When it was all over and the owner left , the manager got up whistling a happy tune and started to go on with his day .  He then invited my friend home with him for supper .  My friend was concerned that it would be uncomfortable being there after seeing him treated so terribly.. but he did go home with him.  When he got home and dinner was served, he said grace and thanked God for such a Joy filled day.. My friend was totally shocked at how he still could find JOY.  That's when he realized that Joy Is DeVine, Happiness is mortal.  The preceding's of your day , good or bad can affect your happiness , but for those who love the Lord , there is the gift of JOY, and that can not be taken away. 

As I think more about this I have come to realize that we bring happiness when we are out doing things like delivering Coal . but I pray that through this action people will begin to question and then FIND THE JOY.   

That is my prayer this season , that through our actions people would noy only experience a bit of happiness, but that they would find the JOY .  That Joy is freely available for all ...

 Have you found the JOY ?