Joy is such an amazing thing! I love feeling joy but I'm not a very expressive person. As a result, you may not know that I'm experiencing joy at any given time. And since you are not seeing me anyway, I'm just going to tell you. Typing here fills me with great joy. Reading and interacting here on Steemit after having to wait out HF20 brings a big smile to my face. This is a joyful Monday!
Pixabay gave me tons of pictures when I typed the word 'joy' in the search field. Most of them are on the theme of the three posted at the top of this blog.
- Arms raised and wide open.
- Jumping. A lot of jumping.
- Mouth wide open while laughing or shouting.
These are typical ways we express our joy. All of these physical expressions of joy (and some others) have something in common. When you express joy in these ways you open yourself up. You assume a physical stance that is more vulnerable.
When you feel insecure or unhappy you fold your arms, close your mouth and you do not jump. Joy gets you to open up. And joy is only felt and expressed when feeling secure and at peace.
The Bible speaks of joy very often. And describes joy as something that can be full or completed. When John gives the reason for writing one of his letters, he says that he is writing it because doing it will complete his joy.
We write this in order that our joy may be complete.
1Jn 1:4 GNB
I want to wish the following for you this week. That your joy will be so great this week that you will
- shout
- laugh
- jump
- dance
in abandon and exuberance. Again and again.
But above all, that you will be able to do the things this week that will complete your joy! Set aside time for such things. Prioritize them. Just do it!
Just don't think that joy can only come from doing leisure activities. John wrote a letter to people that he loved and served. It was work, but doing it well completed his joy.
Go for it! This week.
