12/7 Joy?

Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:11
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Written by Chase Herman
Is joy a common experience? I usually conceptualize joy in grand terms, like a host of angels joyously announcing Christ’s birth. Yet that may be an incomplete picture. Perhaps joy isn’t only reserved for the most extraordinary of circumstances. After all, joy is a fruit of the Spirit – a characteristic of God’s nature. Doesn’t that imply it’s an essential part of what it means to be human?

I confess I don’t routinely experience joy, but I’m starting to believe it’s possible. Although trite, I’m growing to appreciate the simple aspects of life which COVID disrupted. I ran across some middle-school-aged boys a few weeks ago. They were horsing around, playing a pick-up game of basketball. It was an everyday experience pre-COVID, an anomaly now. I can’t explain it, but somehow just seeing those boys reminded me:  there is so much hope in this world. And it filled me with joy.

It can be anything – a fun conversation with my roommate, a video clip from my brother’s talent show performance. It doesn’t matter how simple. The interaction is what counts. It reminds me how precious life is. I know I’m going to lose it all one day, so I’m trying to learn how to enjoy it now. I’m trying to learn how to see and appreciate ordinary joy. 
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Open our eyes to notice and our hearts to celebrate joy in Your presence in new ways today, Jesus. 

Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes)