Sunday, August 21, 2022
Sunday Reflection: Invitation to Joy
This morning I'm giving a sermon about joy. It's something that is too rarely discussed (and I think, in some circles, we talk way too much about shame).
Joy, like love, can't be forced. You have to let it happen. And part of that 'letting it happen' is a willingness to see what is around us, and to let it into us.
Our eyes can fool us, of course. I was driving last night and saw the most beautiful full moon, and it made my heart leap. It turned out to be a Burger King sign, unfortunately. But then I got a moment of a joy and a good laugh out of it.
It's easy to lose joy as you grow up. But when Jesus said to be like the little children, perhaps that is part of what we are supposed to emulate.
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I think we build the environment for joy to come upon us when we stop trying to be happy but rather aim for contentment. "Happy" always has "Unhappy" as its partner, and people can fall into a trap thinking they must be happy all the time or there's something wrong. Happy almost always is a reaction to something external - not something that springs from within.
Contentment, on the other hand, gives you the inner peace and strength to weather life's hardships with the knowledge that joy can and will come again. Or as my grandfather once wrote me (when I was dealing with a hardship) "Life evens out and things are never as bad as they seem." Being content is a state of being that comes from within ourselves and usually isn't externally driven.
As I age, I hope I'm getting better at building contentment in my world because I know contentment is the ground where joy can flower best.
And ... just a side note ... Have you noticed it's impossible to say the word "joy" with a downward inflection? Your voice goes up when you say "joy" -- it's automatic. Saying the word almost puts your mouth in a smile. I like that. I like it when the sound of a word reflects what it is (onomatopeia) or how it makes us feel (ideophone).
Contentment, on the other hand, gives you the inner peace and strength to weather life's hardships with the knowledge that joy can and will come again. Or as my grandfather once wrote me (when I was dealing with a hardship) "Life evens out and things are never as bad as they seem." Being content is a state of being that comes from within ourselves and usually isn't externally driven.
As I age, I hope I'm getting better at building contentment in my world because I know contentment is the ground where joy can flower best.
And ... just a side note ... Have you noticed it's impossible to say the word "joy" with a downward inflection? Your voice goes up when you say "joy" -- it's automatic. Saying the word almost puts your mouth in a smile. I like that. I like it when the sound of a word reflects what it is (onomatopeia) or how it makes us feel (ideophone).
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