“Joy cannot be pursued.
It comes from within. It is a state of being.
It does not depend on circumstances,
but triumphs over circumstances.
It produces a gentleness of spirit
and a magnetic personality.”
-Billy Graham
What’s the difference between happiness and joy? The pursuit of happiness keeps us busy. Happiness is the gladness that comes from obtaining and managing. Happiness comes when the circumstances align and our desires are met.
Joy on the other hand comes when our desires change. Joy can enter in regardless of circumstances because it’s source isn’t external. Rather it is internally rooted in our relationship with Jesus.
What we pursue is what we by default believe to be the most important thing at any given time. What if we shifted our pursuit from what we seems to be most desirable at the moment to what is eternally desirable? When Jesus meets us in the midst of our circumstances, we are gifted joy. We receive joy because we have found what is truly worth our pursuit.
Joy doesn’t always look like big smiles, but more often it look like a rooted heart that has found what is truly worth loving.
| December 15 | Isaiah 40:1-5 |
|---|---|
| December 16 | John 16:19-24 |
| December 17 | Matthew 13:44 |
| December 18 | Luke 15:1-7 |
| December 19 | Hebrews 12:1-2 |
| December 20 | Colossians 1:9-14 |
| December 21 | Luke 2:10-11 |
“The Lord is coming, always coming.
When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord.”
—Henri Nouwen