Thing is, Joy and happy aren't the same thing, are they. Am I happy Capt left his earthly body and is rejoicing in Heaven? OF COURSE NOT. I miss him! I wish he were here! I don't enjoy it and am not content about it at all! BUT...there is great joy in it. I am delighted that he's perfected. He's not suffering anymore, and let me tell you...he'd been suffering hard for a long time. Not just the months after he had COVID, but as a result of events years before that. Now he's not, and I am overjoyed for him. Same with Himself. His death threw me for a humongous loop but I was able, in the midst of all of it, to recognize that he, too, was perfected and free of the hardships and frustrations of this earthly life Those are circumstances in which I find great pleasure and delight, because I love them.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19
One of the things I've told my kids for a long time is that if you truly love someone, then you want what's best for them, even if that isn't you. And I loved those men. Imperfectly as only a human can, but enough that I am JOYFUL that they are where they are, and I will see them again.
It's a hard lesson to learn. I'm selfish. I want what I want and often that's not what God has in mind for me. Obviously God's plan is different from mine. My job is to recognize that and ask Him to show me the door he has opened, since 2 of them have been so irrevocably closed. I can find joy in that, somehow. Eventually. I know it's there but....y'know. It's hard sometimes. Often. I want to be happy. He wants me to be joyful.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. Psalm 5:11
I love the Psalms. King David was masterful at taking a bad situation, whining about it a little bit, then praising God. Often he praised God without the whining. I want to be able to do that...to praise God without whining first. Sometimes, I force myself to praise Him without asking for anything. There's always something I want to ask for, but I know how happy, even joyful, it makes me when my kids call to simply ask how was my day, or tell me about something good that happened, or thank me for something, without asking for anything. It makes me feel recognized, even validated a little. While I know God is GOD and doesn't NEED anything, He's important to me, and I want to let Him know that. Psalm 145 is a wonderful one! David understood the difference between joy and happiness. He recognized that true eternal joy comes from God, not from the temporary things of the world. Paul understood that as well.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17
God is working all that out in me, the righteousness (boy that's a hard one. I'm a stubborn cuss when it comes to that one), peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Peace is difficult but I'm getting better at it. Joy...I can see it happening.
Perfectly stated, but so hard and it hurts so much: "if you truly love someone, then you want what's best for them, even if that isn't you."
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