Joy is the Elusive Presence of God. Jesus said as long as we are in the world to expect the Elusive Presence of God. So why don't we just wait for Him? The world waits for Joy and it will be available when we get back.
When we get back, I promise you there will be Joy. I promise that even if we haven't tasted the sweetness of joy we will experience it when we return. That's how easy it is to lose the presence of God. We get so caught up in the excitement of this life that we lose sight of the fact that He is always there.
The way we experience joy varies from person to person. Sometimes we are able to sit down with someone and just have a conversation. Other times we need to be helped with something and find joy in helping others. In other words, we experience joy when we help others.
What does it mean to have joy? It means different things to everyone. For some, it comes on quickly and others take time to experience it. If we are having trouble defining what joy is for us, let me share what I think it means for me.
Joy is not being tense or worried. It does not mean we feel sad or feel that we are at our wit's end. Joy does not indicate that we hate someone or anything. Joy simply is the presence of peace that we experience when God is with us.
When we are not in the presence of God we often have tension. We can become anxious about something going wrong or having to deal with an enemy. We can become depressed or self-pitying because nothing seems to go right. When we are with God, however, we can relax and simply feel the glory and peace that He has brought to us.
Many times we have wanted to quit something but were afraid of what we would be doing or saying. This is usually overcome when we are with him and we are able to say things freely. We are no longer concerned about what we are going to say or do. We can be confident that he is going to take care of it.
So, what is joy then? I believe that it is the presence of God wrapped up in our hearts. It is the joy we feel when he is close to us. It is the delight we feel when he is pouring out his love and blessings upon us. It is the joy we get when he is raising up people who are having a difficult time.
The more I think about this subject the more I am convinced that joy is a way of life. It's not something we earn or get for some special reason. Joy is something that is inherently available to all of us. It just takes being born with it. Joy is not something that we can work at or be worked toward.
But don't worry; it's not as hard to attain as some people might think. Joy is available to everyone. You don't need special gifts or talents. You just have to let yourself be open and be willing to experience life through joy.
If you are working on attaining your goals, don't push yourself too hard. Just focus on the joy you will experience along the way. Find ways to relax. And most important of all, have fun!
Don't let yourself feel sad or frustrated. Be happy. The elusive presence of joy is always available. It's up to each of us to grab it and ride it until it happens!
