Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Comfort Series 4 – Finding Joy!


I couldn’t believe it! It was 7:00 a.m. and I’d just pulled out of my garage to leave for work. I always wait to see if the garage door closes before I take off. Suddenly, there’s a grinding sound, a POP and then the whole right side of the door slowly bends down! I couldn’t move and I surely couldn’t look. Parked directly underneath that bending door is my late husband’s classic car! Oh please, Lord, not that!

As I surveyed the situation, I did something I’ve learned to do after many times like this: laugh. I’ve spent way too much of my life fretting, worrying, complaining, getting grumpy, and griping at other people when things go wrong. It’s just not worth it. I get upset, other people get upset, and it’s just an awful time in general.

In Chuck Swindoll’s book Laugh Again, he says this about finding joy in terrible situations:

Why has a joyful life, an attitude of happiness, eluded so many? Within the past few years I have come to realize why. It’s because most people think that happiness is something that happens to them rather than something they deliberately and diligently pursue. Circumstances seldom generate smiles and laughter. Joy comes to those who determine to pursue it in spite of their circumstances.

Psalm 144: 15b says, “Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!” That’s how I want to be known. Not that I put on a false face or pretend to be happy when I’m not, but I believe there is joy and humor to be found in most of the daily grind of life. If we choose to be a griping, complaining person, then we’ve lost the joy that God gives. Really, can’t you find joy in one of life’s events today? This is the stuff that life is made of and it’s too short to be a grump! Put on your happy pants and find JOY!

Oh, by the way, the garage door is fixed and the classic car is now safe and sound without a dent! God knew that would happen!

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