Joy Indestructible!

There have been season’s in my walk with Christ where I have struggled. Where it has felt that every time I turned around, there was another obstacle in my path. Whether work, or personal life, or even just in thinking through the toxic political environment we are now caught in, sometimes it can seem like there is always something threatening to bring me down. The worst part is feeling like my joy is fleeting. When the deep, abiding sense of contentment and peace that I should have in Christ feels further and further away.

It’s in times like these that I can only lean on faith. I’ve been reading John Piper’s book, “Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ,” and chapter four has really resonated with me. It’s all about joy, and how it’s different from happiness. Piper argues that joy is an indestructible quality that comes from a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that can sustain us even in the darkest moments of life.

That’s a comforting thought. If joy is truly indestructible, then that means that even when everything else in my life feels like it is falling apart, I can hold onto that sense of peace and contentment. But the tricky part is cultivating that relationship with Christ. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stresses of life and forget about the bigger picture. It can be so easy to lose sight of the fact that our ultimate hope and source of joy is found in Christ alone.

So, where do I go? How do I cultivate that relationship with Christ and find that indestructible joy? I think the answer lies in prayer and in intentionally seeking moments of communion with God. Whether that means carving out time each day for quiet reflection, finding time for fellowship with my fellow pilgrims, or simply being mindful of God’s presence throughout my day, I know that I need to be intentional about seeking out that relationship if I want to experience joy.

And maybe, just maybe, by cultivating that joy in my own life, I can be a source of hope and inspiration for those around me who may also be struggling. Just like the confident sailor in the midst of a storm inspires confidence in the rest of the crew, so too can a christian’s abiding joy in the face of difficulty inspire those around them.

So, here’s to cultivating joy. Here’s to seeking out that indestructible quality that can sustain us even in the darkest moments of life. And here’s to finding hope, even in the midst of the storm.

In Him, with love

mike