Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Day 201 – Embrace Joy
Scripture focus: But the fruit of the spirit is…joy…Galatians 5:22
Recovery is a wild ride. Part of healthy recovery is learning how to experience the full gamut of life’s emotions. Recently, one of the children in our Saturday night celebration service came up and jumped into my arms. He was filled with joy! His parents took him to Disney for a vacation, and he had big news about his experience to tell me.
But recovery is a wild ride – and when practiced well – it provides all sorts of new experiences – and emotions! This family is filled with joy. Their joy knows no bounds. As a result of the hard work of recovery, they were able to hang together as a family. They’ve had the opportunity to go on vacation (one they can afford because they’ve worked and saved for it). They played!
I’m so excited for them! I too experience joy – hearing their story and hugging their happy boy. Dale Ryan provides another reason for our rejoicing in his book Rooted in God’s Love, p. 250.
“Shame does not coexist comfortably with joy….Jesus drew strength to reject shame from the anticipation of joy. We can let go of our shame when we allow ourselves to remember that God has plans for us that include joy. We are not aimlessly adrift in life, headed nowhere, wanderers in a meaningless maze. On the contrary, every day takes us closer to the fulfillment of God’s purposes. Jesus’ followers share his conviction that joy, not shame, is God’s purpose in creation. Today we can root ourselves in God’s love for us. We can scorn the shame. We can remind ourselves that God’s plans for us include joy.”
So, my friends, seize the joy. You just may find yourselves at Disney World!
Recommended reading: 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 in the morning; Psalm 14 and 15 in the evening
Recovery is a wild ride. Part of healthy recovery is learning how to experience the full gamut of life’s emotions. Recently, one of the children in our Saturday night celebration service came up and jumped into my arms. He was filled with joy! His parents took him to Disney for a vacation, and he had big news about his experience to tell me.
But recovery is a wild ride – and when practiced well – it provides all sorts of new experiences – and emotions! This family is filled with joy. Their joy knows no bounds. As a result of the hard work of recovery, they were able to hang together as a family. They’ve had the opportunity to go on vacation (one they can afford because they’ve worked and saved for it). They played!
I’m so excited for them! I too experience joy – hearing their story and hugging their happy boy. Dale Ryan provides another reason for our rejoicing in his book Rooted in God’s Love, p. 250.
“Shame does not coexist comfortably with joy….Jesus drew strength to reject shame from the anticipation of joy. We can let go of our shame when we allow ourselves to remember that God has plans for us that include joy. We are not aimlessly adrift in life, headed nowhere, wanderers in a meaningless maze. On the contrary, every day takes us closer to the fulfillment of God’s purposes. Jesus’ followers share his conviction that joy, not shame, is God’s purpose in creation. Today we can root ourselves in God’s love for us. We can scorn the shame. We can remind ourselves that God’s plans for us include joy.”
So, my friends, seize the joy. You just may find yourselves at Disney World!
Recommended reading: 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 in the morning; Psalm 14 and 15 in the evening
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