Joy

“I am the door; anyone who enters in through me will be saved will live. He will come in and he will go out freely and will find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows.” John 10:9-11

In my devotional reading Young states “Learn to enjoy life more.” I got angry when I read this statement. How in the heck am I supposed to enjoy life more? I am in pain, my cat has fleas and I am supposed to enjoy life and my caregiver is a drama queen.  (Side note: my caregiver is awesome. I love him a ton, but sometimes I do want to smack him and yesterday was one of those days.) Are you kidding me? I know, I can throw a tizzy fit with the best. Then when I read John 10:9-11 and realized that my moments of joy can be stolen and it is up to me to put my eyes and heart on Jesus and just let those who want to be a killjoy be a killjoy. What a concept right?

I have a difficult time with this. I often times want to hide under the covers or my bed and just say “Calgon take me away”. Nothing is going right, I am miserable, where the heck is my joy? These moments have a way of helping me with seeing the true meaning of joy. It isn’t the next bit of technology, or that someone thought of me by calling or texting. It is the fact that one man, one person did not reject me and he had every right to. He accepts me trach, fleas, and all no matter what. The simple joys, the ones that are there but are clouded up with all those negative emotions and slights from those we love and who we thought loved us steal our joy.  I am continually working on keeping my joy. How about you?