"When you're looking for JOY you will always find it hiding in your GRATITUDE." (Ann Voskamp)
Now, this is one quote that will stick to me forever! In fact, it is on my work desk, on my planner, on my phone's wallpaper! It struck me and really got me re-thinking about JOY and about GRATITUDE (shouldn't we all?).
I have to admit that I've already began to think that perhaps JOY is an elusive emotion, even bordering on mythical. I don't even know if I have already experienced it, crossed the line that differentiates it from happiness. Happiness, yes. Glee, yes. Contentment, yes. But JOY...hmmm, have I? So, as I have learned from my mentors Carolyn Custis James and Dee Brestin, to keep on searching, and if needed, struggle with the answers, I did a sublime research on unsuspecting folks and asked them "what is joy?" The summary of all their responses, both verbal and non-verbal was that it is "more than happiness".
Ok. Even my kids (bless their heart) won't buy that, if that is how I explained JOY to them.
I have thus come to conclude that JOY must perhaps be attained by faith. And so perhaps my faith is probably not yet "up there" in terms of being able to fully grasp what it is! (Gasp!!!)
Then bam! Someone spoke, and answered my question via my Facebook lounge.
More than just being thankful, like the proverbial "Thanks", but being grateful, indebted and appreciative of what is before you! And when we are in that state of mind, coupled with remembering (see my post on REMEMBER), then and only then is there a genuine, life-transforming understanding of who you are and who God is!
Then bam! You suddenly feel this surge of feeling that is more than happiness (yeah, I told you so!) because it engulfs your spirit and your soul. You do not only then feel physically happy but your soul and spirit are one with your body in an emotion that uplifts you and transforms your whole being!
You know, I may not even come close enough yet to describing JOY, but it will be an honour for me to continue to learn about it as I experience it in this life. And one day, together, we shall face each other in the presence of our Lord and look each other in the eye, and smile because we know what is going on in us, we finally feel it - complete JOY.
Check your gratitude meter, dear friend. JOY may just be lingering there.
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