Finding the Courage to Choose |
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13 |
Let's begin by acknowledging I am probably going to hurt someone's feelings with what I am about to say. For that, I'm sorry. I wish I could wrap my arms around you and whisper, "I get it, I understand, and I love you," because I do. But sometimes it takes a good girlfriend to say the hard things, so...
Oh, hold on. Do you need to go grab a glass of wine first? I can wait. Okay. Here it is: you finding joy is your choice. It's your decision, no one else's. You might have experienced tremendous loss, hurt, and sickness, but you can still choose to live a life with joy in it — even through the sad and hard times.
Maybe that sounds cliché. Maybe you've heard " joy is a choice" a million times. But I want you to really hear me on this, so I'll say it again: It's your choice. It's up to you, and no one else. No one else is responsible for making you happy or fulfilled. Not your husband, not your mama, not your kids, not your best friend, not even the girl behind the counter at Baskin-Robbins (although, admittedly, she does a very good job serving up short-term joy experiences).
Joy is a one-woman job.
We have to quit blaming our circumstances and the people around us for why we do not have joy. It is a decision to continually exist in sadness, and it is a decision to step out of that sadness.
Did that feel like I just ripped a strip of wax off your upper lip? I'm so sorry.
But honestly, I want to stand on the top of roofs and yell it out: You can choose to be happy! Because, my sweet, precious friend, you can. |
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Gratitude is the greatest catalyst for living a happy life. |
Gratitude is the greatest catalyst for living a happy life. |
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Have you ever been around a miserable, mean person? Someone who emits real negativity, and when you're in their space it kind of sucks the life out of you? It's as if they're a black hole that might drag you in if you get too close, so something in you says to stay away. (I'm not saying you should stay away; this person probably needs you to take her to lunch or at least to give her this book.) That is a person who chooses over and over to stay in their pain. It may have been one big choice or a million little ones, but each time the chance to choose joy arises, the decision is made, instead, to continue down the path of hurt and bitterness.
Now, let's be clear: I am not saying we aren't meant to experience sadness or grief. Of course we are. I am also not speaking to those who suffer with debilitating mental illness or chronic depression. But for many people, there comes a point in your journey of pain and loss when you have to make a choice between embracing happiness or staying in your despair.
If you want to climb out of the darkness — out of that pit of sadness — you have to be purposeful about it. Many years ago I went to my first radiation appointment. I was nine months into my breast cancer treatments, and radiation was the final phase. Six weeks earlier I'd had my mastectomy, and for six awful months before that I'd endured chemotherapy. The first signs of hair were beginning to grow on my head, and I was oh-so-ready for this final stretch.
I arrived at the treatment center and was sent into a dressing room. I took off my shirt and bra and put on one of those incredibly attractive hospital gowns that ties in the back but never seems to work correctly, so you constantly fear a bit of naked is showing through. Praying that nothing too upsetting was hanging out, I entered the pretreatment waiting area and sat down.
Directly across from me was a woman who appeared to be in her late fifties. She had all her hair, had a plump figure, and her face was full of healthy color. She looked at me and asked, "Is this your first radiation treatment?" I nervously nodded.
"Well, I have to tell you, it's hard," she said. She let out a big sigh. "The first week you will feel fine, and then you're going to get incredibly tired and you won't be able to function, and your skin is going to be so burned you won't be able to wear clothes. I don't even know how much more of this I can take."
I was stunned. That wasn't at all what I was expecting. My oncologist had assured me that this was the easy part. Had he lied just to keep me going?
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Your Turn When you are sitting in pain, you can still feel joy. The choice is yours to make. I've had to make that choice again and again and so will you! What are we going to do, friends? Let's go for the joy! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full |
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Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. |
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Finding joy when it feels impossible |
Laughing Through the Ugly Cry: …and Finding Unstoppable Joy |
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$11.99 40% off + free U.S. shipping on orders $35 or more |
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Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all.
Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to:
- Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate
- Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem
- Embrace joy wherever you can find it
- Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way
Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for:
- Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration
- Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy
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What Our Readers Are Saying |
"Love this book! It is helping me get through a very hard time right now. You can see your problems through a different lens." — Susanna R. |
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"A must read! Dawn's stories are so relatable and uplifting...confirms that I am not alone in my struggles and that God can bring joy even in the midst of trials. Love it!" — Cindy W. |
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| Max Lucado shares the unexpected path to a lasting happiness, one that produces reliable joy amidst any life circumstance. Based on the teachings of Jesus and backed by modern research, this book presents a surprising but practical way of living that will change you from the inside out. |
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| Bestselling author Sheila Walsh invites you to discover daily joy. Through funny and inspiring stories, powerful takeaways, and encouraging scriptures, Sheila shows that joy sometimes comes from gratitude, God's beautiful creation, grace, or simply delighting in God's goodness and love. |
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| Anne Graham Lotz offers insightful meditations on Scripture in this yearlong collection of daily devotions. The Joy of My Heart includes a beautiful ribbon marker and notes section for deeper reflection. |
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Don't Look Back Online Bible Study |
This is your year to shake off the past, to stop looking back and longing for what was, and to step boldly into the plans and promises God has for you in 2024! We need to fix our eyes ahead on Jesus – not keep looking back! Will you join us for the FREE Don't Look Back Online Bible Study with Christine Caine? Registration is now open and the study begins January 22nd! |
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FaithGateway ~ our mision is to help you grow and share your faith. |
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