JOY: God's Greatest Gift

Read: 1 Peter 1:8-9 and James 1:2-3

By Elizabeth Anne Cooper

Immediately, the first image in my mind upon hearing this phrase is a large red box with a green bow and in big, gold letters “JOY” is written across the side. I’m not sure if I am embarrassed with the fact that my mind immediately goes to a materialistic object or the fact that my pre-Holiday gift giving stress is starting to kick in.

Either way, one thing is for certain, joy cannot be wrapped up in a pretty box with a large green bow or placed on our doorstep whenever we “place an order” to God. More importantly, joy should not always be confined, contained, or come from a tangible object. Joy can be delivered in so many different ways; the kicker is allowing our hearts to truly see it.

A few months ago someone prompted me with the challenge to focus on three positive things that happened that day instead of focusing on the one, large negative. Through this, I quickly came to realize something I have been taught all along, but rarely practiced in my daily routine: Staying in a constant companionship with God allows us to see more and more glimpses of His beauty and offerings of His everlasting joy. Whether it be a stranger with a kind gesture, a good laugh with coworkers, or an embrace from a loved one (pets included); each of your days are prompted with gifts of joy from above. Our job is to simply seek them out, even on the grayest of days.