Real Joy Vs. The Child

Back to joy: allow yourself some room for joy! I have learned a little motto at the church I attend (The Highlands) that I love a lot. It goes: Don’t merely seek happiness in life - happiness is a temporary emotion; seek instead joy which is lasting because it changes you internally - it transforms you!

I have always been a lighthearted joyous person. This is because God transformed me when I was a little girl, and then did another re-haul in my youth at which point, I was slain in the joy of the Spirit (sorry for those who have no idea what I am talking about). Ever since then, I have had joy abounding from somewhere inside. This abundance brings about certain behaviors in me. I love to jump around and laugh and dance all over the place, and it’s not for attention because I mostly do it when I am by myself. I like to play games and laugh at nothing and everything. I speak in accents on a whim to whoever happens to be present. I find life very humorous: in all of it’s little nuances and I cherish them in whatever form I see fit. I am easily entertained. This is a good thing because it allows me to be comfortable and enriched whether I am around people or by myself. I am unashamed. I am not worried that someone might judge me. I am only concerned with Christ and being true to my heart.

That means, if I’m happy and my heart is telling me to jump – I jump. If I want to shout out because I love Jesus – I’m gonna shout. If I feel like breaking out into some sweet dance moves – I will. If I feel the urge to attack my sister with hugs and kisses – I attack. If my heart convulses with love for someone - I let them know how precious they are. If something is funny, even if I am the only one in the entire movie theater who thinks so – I laugh.

Sadly, there are certain people who take this kind of behavior as childish. I am not trying to create a category of people, I just say this because the joy that I have has actually been addressed negatively by a few people (both peers and older) in the span of my teen to adult life. I have noticed, however, the people who have addressed me always seem to struggle with their own contentment and real joy. When I was a child, of course I needed my parents to pull in the reigns on my craziness. But today, I’m speaking about the joy of the Lord that is rooted within me. I gotta admit- name calling still kinda hurts even as a half-adult. I mean, it’s my heart they are really saying something about. So sue me: I love to live each moment to the hilt of the situation. It’s nothing against anyone else . . . it’s just how I roll.

Wrapping up: my past has been minimal hurtful compared to the amount of AMAZING it has been (thank you Jesus). God’s grace, though vast and wide and stretching and profoundly awe-striking - it is still not a good idea to take it for granted. I am excited to fully grow up yet keep my true heart while doing so- I just gotta keep figuring it out day by day. I must do this because that is what God wants. I must do this for the future of my dreams and the things that God has called me to like my future husband, my future family and my future ministries.