Need to Get Joy? Posted by Ashleigh Slater on March 4, 2008

Over the weekend, my joyfulness was zip. Zero. Non-existent. I suppose I could blame it on the ever increasing pregnancy hormones that seem to have my emotions out of wack more and more, but let's face it, I know better.

Sure, there's no denying that my hormones do affect me emotionally—especially during pregnancy—but that doesn't mean I have to be subject to them. I don't have to sit back and allow them to leave me moping around all Saturday and Sunday. Instead, I can determine to walk in joy regardless of how I feel. Which is exactly what our first article this week, Marian Green's "Got Joy?", touches on.

Marian examines the ups and downs of her emotions and how joy has often seemed elusive. That is, until she realized the importance of getting her eyes of herself—something that ties into Amy Storms' article "Becoming a Glass Half-Full Kind of Girl." While Amy lays the foundation of fixing our eyes on Jesus, Marian builds on it by talking about loving and serving others. She writes:

I will find the most joy when I love others in the same way that Christ has loved me. That means putting them first, that big word s-e-r-v-i-n-g, or how about an even bigger word, D-Y-I-N-G. Other than my kids, there aren't many others I'd consider physically dying for so that they might live. The joy just doesn't sound like it would do much good if I were dead. Sure, I've never been in the situation, but it's one I wouldn't willingly walk into the way Jesus did.

But how about my other selfish desires dying so that I might love someone else better? What joy could Christ pour into my life if I were to clean house on the inside and share the love on the outside?

I personally found Marian's article to be a great reminder of the joy that can be found in giving of ourselves. Something I should have done this weekend, rather than dwelling on how "down" I felt.

Giving of ourselves also characterizes Christina Holder's two-part series, "I Want to Hold Your Hand." In it, Christina shares how the Lord is bringing good out of brokenness in her life. How? By having her reach out to others who are also hurting: the people of Liberia. This week we have Part 1 for you.

What about you? What are your thoughts on this week's articles? Do you have any stories of how you've experienced joy when serving others?

Comments

[Rachael]

About "I want to Hold Your Hand"...

I feel for Christina and think of my own heartbreak (though the situation is *quite* different than hers, the pocket of pain is related to a *guy*, and I look forward to the day it will go away). Part of me wants to say "sorry" to her, but it was a part of God's plan and she's going to Liberia. Amazing!

Her story is both sobering and encouraging.

A sobering reminder that even a seemingly ideal relationship might not be a part of God's plan...scary.

Encouraging to know we're not alone in experiencing heartbreak. If others survive in even worse situations, we/I can too...Encouraging to know it has taught her more about God's sovereignty. It's really neat that in spite of her heartbrokenness, or perhaps because of the situation that led to that, she will see the heartbreak of others in Liberia.

Thanks to her for sharing her heart...

[Rachael]

P.S. I think brokenness in some form or other can increase one's sensitivity for others. I like how the description of Christina's article in this post is: "In it, Christina shares how the Lord is bringing good out of brokenness in her life. How? By having her reach out to others who are also hurting: the people of Liberia."

Thank you ~

Yes, indeed, God is sovereign...

[Marie]

I appreciated "I want to hold your hand"--that was the line my ex-boyfriend used when he broached the subject of moving from friends to a dating couple. We held hands for the first time praying together, and I thought it would be something we would do for the rest of our lives.

After a year together he broke up with me claiming that his heart was no longer in our relationship--through the greiving process I have no longer had his hand to hold, but I find mine like Christina's in God's powerful one. I just found out that he is now engaged to be married, planning to be married in the same month we had long ago planned to marry in. While the pain continues to cut I know that God is in charge.

I think that rejection can often be God's protection. If I am willing to hand the ashes of my dreams over to God, He has promised to transform them, not into the same dream, but into an entirely new one just for me. He does indeed make all things beautiful in his time! Thanks for a good article, reminding me of that fact!