Chasing Joy
“The first rule about 2021 is you don’t talk about 2020” David Fincher
As I sit with these words, I have to wonder how different this next year will be. How will I pursue joy this year? Where will I look to find it? The statement poses an internal challenge that causes me to re-evaluate how I respond to reality, and in recent years, I have responded with a mindset that worked against me. Looking back on 2020; I missed out on seeing moments that would bring me joy and contentment. I missed out on celebrating the wins that I’d already achieved. Instead, I could only focus on my short-comings and the overwhelming unfinished tasks at hand. If you’re like me, I want us to try and approach this year slightly differently…
The thief of joy
Many of us have allowed ourselves to dwell in our situations trying to mirror the perfect life, leaving room for comparison, worry, resentment and fear which is the perfect breeding space for envy. It’s surprising how quickly these things can manipulate our thoughts and perceptions.
Chasing success, fame or even popularity will never leave us satisfied, yet it is seen as the world’s gold standard. Although I still believe in setting goals and writing down the vision, this year I will not be led solely by them. There comes a point where chasing after goals with a tunnel vision of self-indulgence and reliance strips you of joy. It’s an endless cycle of always reaching for more and never feeling like we have enough. It also makes being happy with what we have almost an impossibility.
Our true source of joy
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” -Proverbs 17:22
When we begin to understand that joy is something only God can give, we begin to experience a deep-rooted peace that shapes our grief and our brokenness. Instead of looking to seek it outwardly, through things that will always change, He gives us a new focus; Him.
“The Joy of the Lord is my strength” -Nehemiah 8:10
I want to remind everyone that Jesus is our strength no matter what this year has in store for us. He is a pocket of light in the immense darkness that we can hold fast to. And when the world is falling apart and things look bleak, He is the only one that will keep us from running back into the same places that broke us and left us unsatisfied.
So for me, this year isn’t about the checklist of things to complete, or a crazy drive towards success. My goal is simple: I will fight to pursue the joy of the Lord. It’s such a simple change but if you join me, and keep it in focus, this year will bring about a new perspective and a joy like never before.
