Thursday, January 15, 2009

Surprised by Joy

I'm so glad God doesn't promise us happiness. What a fleeting, unsatisfactory thing is happiness. Ever-changing. Whimsical. Flighty. One minute it's standing beside you. The next it's gone without a trace, leaving you in the dark.

That's not my God. He's steadfast. True. Trustworthy. Foundational. Everlasting. He doesn't promise we'll never hurt, but thankfully, He does promise to see us through. To hold our hand. To give us a reason to keep going, keep fighting, keep loving, keep serving, keep showing His glory. He promises to never leave us in the dark. In fact, it's impossible for Him to leave us in the dark because He is light. He is hope. He is trust. He is joy.

His joy is staring life and all its hardships, pains, and heartaches square in the eye...and smiling.

A wise professor once told me that true wisdom is not learning how to give up what is bad for what is good but learning how to risk giving up what is good in order to embrace what is best. It's happiness versus joy.

I choose joy.

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