"This Joy that I Have"

I was checking in with all my blogger friends this afternoon and found this lovely post by Jessica at Four of  Kind. She, like me, loves to have a plan and stick to it. When the plan gets disrupted, it is easy to become discouraged or frustrated. As I was reading, it triggered a concept that I have been mulling the past couple of weeks.(If you catch the connection then woo hoo! we think alike.)

Each semester I have a "goal" or theme. Sometimes I determine what I want to be different/my goal. Sometimes life happens and I see what the theme is. This semester's goal: I want to enjoy each day. I would like to live with joy in my heart.  I want a happy heart.

Before I proceed let me tell you that I am a happy person. I was happy last semester. I was happy in the summer. I am just pretty happy much of the time.  Yet there is a difference between happiness and a deeply rooted joy- joy that is accompanied by a tranquil heart.

You may remember the song "This Joy that I have"

This Joy that I have the world didn't give to me
This Joy that I have the world didn't give to me
This Joy that I have the world didn't give to me
The world didn't give it the world can't take it away

Just as the song says this Joy that I desire does not come from the world. This joy is rooted in my relationship with my Savior. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who was given to me at Salvation. It grows when my relationship with my Father deepens.

I have determined to choose to active trust Jesus when things are daunting.  When I am tempted to panic, I will instead remind myself that this is just another opportunity to see how God works.  There is so much to accomplish. Each task that needs doing is just another opportunity to see how He will work all things out for His glory and my good. It most definitely will not be the way I would have chosen for myself. My plans will be disrupted.

This does not mean that I take a backseat. That I "let live and let God". Quite the contrary. I want to be even more vigilant in prayer because I know He hears and He answers. I want to be ever more discipline in my work because He has given my those abilities to use for His glory and He blesses obedience.

It is just day two and the preaching of truth to myself has begun. Tranquility is fighting to keep its place. Joy is there. Complaining is going to have to leave ASAP. 

The world didn't give it and the world can't take it away.