Joy is trying to break into my house over the last several weeks. A little yellow goldfinch has been knocking on various windows in my house daily, and while I am not exactly sure why he is trying to enter my house, I smile every time I watch him cock his head in confusion when the window panel prevents him from entering my house. I am coming to the realization that he tends to visit when things are emotionally heavy and so I have named this bird Joy and believe that Joy is trying to break into my house. I have been talking to a lot of people lately who feel stuck in a hopeless and joyless cycle and find themselves focusing on all that is without hope or joy instead of all that contains hope and joy. Each day we have the choice as to whether we focus on moments of joy (or a bird named Joy) or moments of hopelessness. I choose the former but don’t get me wrong; I grieve, too, yet if I only focused on the losses, I would only see the losses. Each day I have to look for where Joy is trying to break into my life, because I will tend to see Joy when I look for it. Ask God to show you where joy is today and hope will follow on its tail.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.