joyful winter

It is cold in Alabama.  It is so cold that I pulled out the thermal long underwear.  I am so glad that I have lost 6 pounds over the last week so that I could still fit in my blue jeans with this extra layer!  If only I could lose 6 pounds ever week, but these are just those easy first pounds that had only come on over the last month or so.  I had tried going low-carb a few months ago, but that fell apart.  So, Dan and I are back to our old reliable: counting calories and exercising.

But, I did not really come to blog about losing weight, or even about the unreasonably cold weather we are having (low 20s) that requires pulling out the thermals.  

I came to talk about joy.  I hadn't originally planned to blog about this, but after reading this post on happiness that reiterated that we are responsible for our own happiness, I changed my mind.  Although I believe that happiness is different from joy, and I don't think we create our own joy, I do believe we are responsible for making the decisions that can lead to that joy.

In my last post I mentioned that I spent a lot of time in an emotional pit last year.  A few days ago, when I was sitting on the edge of that pit, about to jump back in, the Lord made something very clear to me: 

"No man is perfect.  Only the Son of man is perfect.  You must find your joy from the one who is perfect.  That is where your joy must come from."

Instantly, it was like a light switched on in my head and I knew exactly what I had to do to stay out of the pit, and it required a change in me.  I had to depend up the Lord, and desire approval by Him, for my joy.  I had to realign my priorities.  It was clear, without question.  I had been in the midst of my morning scripture reading in Matthew at the time.  As I continued to read, I came to this verse, which perfectly aligned with everything.  It was the story from the second chapter of Matthew where the wise men had been sent by Herod to Bethlehem to search for the Christ Child.  From verses 9-10: 

"After this interview the wise men went their way.  Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem.  it went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!"

Yes, Christ is the way to joy in my life, and your life.  It started with the wise men all those years ago, as they followed the star and it is still true today.  True joy can only come through Christ.

"Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me.  Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn."  Psalms 5:8