Find the Joy

I was so lucky to share a Christian life with someone who understood joy. I don't mean happiness which is momentary and transient, but joy, that inner knowledge of God's favor which controls your outlook no matter what the circumstances. In the picture Marsha was leading a Cursillo with her three spiritual directors. Her witness always shared the turmoil and pain of her early life that had been healed by God and which also showed that deep joy, that deep assurance of God's love that filled her soul. Nothing can shake that joy once we find it. We can allow ourselves to be carried along like a floating twig in a white water river, or we can anchor our lives on the rock where even a flood could not shake us. Life will always bring challenges. We live in human fragile bodies in a world clouded with self-centered human hearts. We will experience pain because of what life brings us or circumstances which effect those we love, but joy is possible no matter what. I know Marsha helped me to understand this reality and I think I helped her understand joy as well. I know now that when life creates difficulty, my fault or others, I look inside for the joy, the stability, that will settle me and help me see the future through God's eyes. Joy comes in the morning because in our conscious moments we can choose to look inward and find God's assurance. With practice this joy even makes it through the night. I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy,down in my heart, does not say smile on my face. I'll settle for God's joy anytime.