What brings you joy?
Sometimes we Christians tend to separate our answers to such questions into two categories: the worldly, and the spiritual. Our worldly answer might be, "dogs, birdwatching, and Duke Ellington's music." But our spiritual answers would be (especially if we want to impress the asker with our piety) might be, "worship, the presence of God, and the Word."
But these two categories are artificial constructs, for the beauty of the world turns our hearts to God in gratitude. As Hopkins wrote, "The world is charged with the glory of God." What this means is that the Christian as free to enjoy her world. It's really okay, and God has made sure that the opportunities abound. Just take a walk, and you'll see.
I'm not sure how to define joy, but I know it when it arrives on the scene, and I'm learning to regularly seek out the things that give me joy. Pet every dog that will let you, keep an eye on the birds, and every once in a while sit down and listen to Take the A Train again!
When joy comes, it overrides our habitual instinct to worry and stress. For the moment, and then for a little while after, we stop worrying. That's a great blessing, and it reminds us of a couple of things. First, we probably don't have to worry as much as we do. And second, there will be no worry in the Kingdom of God.
The Psalmist says that the law of the Lord gives joy to our hearts. We might have trouble imagining that. I thought the law can only condemn, etc. etc. But the one who meditates on the Law of the Lord will be like a tree planted by springs of water, yielding its fruit each season. It's not too much of a stretch to say that joy is one of the fruit thus yielded.
You may worry a lot. And you may have very good reasons to. But God would like to give you a foretaste of his Kingdom, where there will be no worry. And he may do so through a puppy, a liitle sparrow at the feeder, or song about a train. Who knows?
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