Dreary to Joyful

It’s been a rough morning.

Actually, it was a difficult evening that led to not getting much sleep and has now left me dragging and feeling defeated as the day is just getting started.

But then I caught sight of these sweet little scribbles that my daughter had made many years ago. I have kept it in a visible spot for almost a decade because the message is one I need reminded of often.

‘There’s nothing that can steal my joy.’

We’re told by Jesus that there is an enemy of our joy. He comes into our lives in an attempt to steal, kill, and destroy.

This doesn’t always look as dramatic as we think it might. It could be a disagreement with our spouse or a frustrating turn of events with our kids. It might be a difficult coworker or a debilitating disease.

There are all sorts of ways that this presence of our enemy will begin to try and convince us that life sucks and everything is terrible. We begin to believe the lies that we are broken beyond repair and that our future is hopeless.

But Jesus also told us that we are able to have joy because He has overcome the world, that enemy of ours included.

Nothing can be stolen that has been promised by God. We cannot be killed beyond what eternal life can repair. That which God has created can never be destroyed.

Life still sucks sometimes. Moods fluctuate and days feels dismal. But there is truly nothing that can steal our joy when the hope of all that is ahead has been placed in the promises of God.

So if today is off to a dreary start, hang out in those emotions for a bit but then move ahead in the restorative joy of our incredible God, focusing on His word and looking around for glimpses of His goodness 💚