It's tempting

It's tempting to focus our life outward. We often look for happiness outside ourselves and we often feel that we would find happiness in the right relationship or the perfect job or with better health. At the same time, or alternating with this search, we often blame others for our lack of happiness. It's the boss or the wife or the kids or the government or even fate or God that cause our distress. Isn't it tempting. 

How easily we surrender control or responsibility for our own lives. I think we take the easy way out, and in the process condemn ourselves to continue on the path of unhappiness. Why do we think life should not contain sadness, acting as if it is a deadly disease. I was told by a friend to embrace my grief at the loss of Marsha and the words sounded peculiar, and yet, as I do it, I find a comfort and a strength. I own my choices in response to my new reality. If I take control of my life in this moment, which is really all I can control, I will find the joy of living. Even appropriate sadness, which will occur, gives me direction for my life.

Jesus was tempted just like we are and did not sin. He did not give over control of life. A favorite song of mine has the following words which come from scripture, "Consider it joy pure joy when troubles come, many trials will make you strong." I know I didn't appreciate enough the great gift I lived with every day until she was sick and then missing. But the joy comes in now I see the beauty of that relationship so clearly and the many strengths it brought to my life. That is where I find the joy. "All things work for the good for those who believe." Not that all things are good but they work for our good if we don't succumb to this natural temptation to blame outside sources for the realities of our life. Today what will I do with this moment. My happiness is in my grasp.