It started off as just another ordinary day at Special Olympics Southern California. I walked in the breakroom to take my lunch break and my coworker stopped to asked me how I was doing. I replied as I always had and said I was doing great. After all it was the truth. She then made the observation that she noticed I was always full of joy and asked why am I always so happy? I told her that I'm genuinely always a happy person.
At the time, another coworker walked into the break room and made the comment that stuck with me for a really long time. He said, "you know what they say; happy people are the first to break." What he said really stuck with me I thought about it a little bit more that day and even in the following weeks to come. Why is it that someone that so full of joy can be the first person to break? Logically it didn't make sense. As I thought about it more I realized there was some merit to what he said.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, joy is defined as (1) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires, the expression or exhibition of such emotion, (2)a state of happiness or felicity, or (3)a source or cause of delight. I paused and thought for a second about this definition. Seems pretty accurate. I mean I felt a lot of joy the day I graduate college and the day I bought my first car. Why would anyone argue with the definition? After all it is the Merriam-Webster dictionary right?
When you compare joy to this definition it makes what my coworker said sound true. When our joy is based in superficial things, it means that our joy comes and goes. The more joy you have, the harder you fall when those things begin to fade away. That's what he meant by his statement. I experienced a superficial joy the day I bought my first car and to this day I still feel joy when I get into everday to drive to work. However, I don't feel so much joy each time I have to shell out hundreds of dollars to fix it. The more joy you put into superficial things the more sadness it will bring you when those things go away.
I then asked myself am I truly a joyous person? Does that mean when all of the things in my life go away that sadness is sure to follow? Not necessarily. You see I have a different definition of joy. Psalms 64:10 says, "the righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!" My source of joy is one that is everlasting. I don't find my joy in the things of this world but in who God is. I find joy in the fact that I have everlasting life which can't be taken away. You know what the greatest part about this kind of joy? It's not some top secret club for members only but is freely given to all those who believe. Acts 16:31 says, "...believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." Salvation is the true source of my happiness and joy. No matter how much life throws at us, if we have faith in the Lord and have salvation we can be full of joy.
Where do you find your joy? Is it in the superficial things of this world or in the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever? I would love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
A girl on fire
At the time, another coworker walked into the break room and made the comment that stuck with me for a really long time. He said, "you know what they say; happy people are the first to break." What he said really stuck with me I thought about it a little bit more that day and even in the following weeks to come. Why is it that someone that so full of joy can be the first person to break? Logically it didn't make sense. As I thought about it more I realized there was some merit to what he said.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, joy is defined as (1) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires, the expression or exhibition of such emotion, (2)a state of happiness or felicity, or (3)a source or cause of delight. I paused and thought for a second about this definition. Seems pretty accurate. I mean I felt a lot of joy the day I graduate college and the day I bought my first car. Why would anyone argue with the definition? After all it is the Merriam-Webster dictionary right?
When you compare joy to this definition it makes what my coworker said sound true. When our joy is based in superficial things, it means that our joy comes and goes. The more joy you have, the harder you fall when those things begin to fade away. That's what he meant by his statement. I experienced a superficial joy the day I bought my first car and to this day I still feel joy when I get into everday to drive to work. However, I don't feel so much joy each time I have to shell out hundreds of dollars to fix it. The more joy you put into superficial things the more sadness it will bring you when those things go away.
I then asked myself am I truly a joyous person? Does that mean when all of the things in my life go away that sadness is sure to follow? Not necessarily. You see I have a different definition of joy. Psalms 64:10 says, "the righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!" My source of joy is one that is everlasting. I don't find my joy in the things of this world but in who God is. I find joy in the fact that I have everlasting life which can't be taken away. You know what the greatest part about this kind of joy? It's not some top secret club for members only but is freely given to all those who believe. Acts 16:31 says, "...believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." Salvation is the true source of my happiness and joy. No matter how much life throws at us, if we have faith in the Lord and have salvation we can be full of joy.
Where do you find your joy? Is it in the superficial things of this world or in the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever? I would love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
A girl on fire