Want to know a fact of life? We all deal with burnout from time to time.
I know. Not a very nice way to begin a blog post. BUT FEAR NOT, MY FRIENDS. I have some very good tips that I hope will help you as much as they’ve helped me.
More Of My Book: Mending (+ free wallpaper!)
Happy Tuesday, lovely readers. I hope you’ve had a wonderful week.
Tuesday always creeps up on me and I almost forgot to post. But I suppose I didn’t, since I’m here now.
I was inspired this week by one of Ann Voskamp’s blog posts. It made me cry (in a good way), and I highly recommend reading it. Her writing is exquisite.
Anyway, I wanted to share the final segment of chapter one of my book. I’m at 13k right now, and because April so far has just been chaotic and impossible, I’ve brought my goal down to 20k. That doesn’t mean anything significant – it just means I’ll be writing at a more manageable pace.
My book is turning out to be different than I imagined, but I’m really happy with it. And my cabin mates – Hannah, Jonathan, Hann, Jessi, Anna, Rachel, another Anna, and a few others still – are some of the most encouraging people I’ve met. I’ve accomplished more than I ever would’ve without the encouragement.
Today’s segment is on depression. Sound depressing? Maybe. It’s a tough topic. But instead of giving us the excuse to wade neck-high in self pity over our feelings, I want us to find hope in the truth that we have to hold onto.
Enjoy!
The word depression used to frighten me. I thought of teenagers sitting alone in their rooms, wearing all black, blasting rock music, and choosing not to be happy. It was always a touchy subject in my mind, and a bit intimidating.
But then I experienced depression of my own and my entire perspective changed.
Contrary to popular belief, depression is not a bad word, nor is it entirely a bad thing. We shouldn’t act as though topics such as depression should be avoided; rather, we should confront the problems we have without shame.
The problems arise when we allow our depression to control us. Bad things happen when we let our minds wander much too far, when we allow ourselves to think such negative, distorted thoughts, and when we trade God’s truths for our feelings.
And as much as depression has become such a cultural norm, and it should not be brushed under the rug as “a ploy for attention,” we need to face it and learn how not to be consumed by it.
What is Depression? Can Christians Be Depressed?
As I’ve said before, I have nowhere near all the answers. I’m not a professional. I’m just a girl wanting to share what I’ve experienced and what I’m learning in my crazy life, and the things that have immensely helped me.
I know that depression can have multiple forms, none of which should be taken lightly.
Whether your depression is medical, clinical, or emotional, it hurts. I know it does. It hurts to feel empty. It hurts to feel like nothing matters. It hurts to feel constantly weighted by a seemingly unshakable dark cloud. It hurts, because depression is a fog, and you can’t see anything in front of you except the inky blackness. All that’s visible is the here and now, which can seem to be so overwhelming when everything feels utterly hopeless.
People often attempt to say that Christians can’t suffer from depression for the simple reason that our lives should be in total order once we’re saved. Or, that being depressed is a sin or a petty feeling and we should just get over it.
I highly disagree.
Instead, I’d say this. Christians often suffer from depression, and torture themselves over it because they believe they shouldn’t feel the pain or numbness. This only leads to feeling worse, because you can’t just whip yourself out of a mindset or condition – especially one that’s not even a spiritual problem in the first place. Healing is a process. If it’s medical or clinical depression, a person will need medical attention, and not just lectures from someone ordering them to “snap out of it.” Similarly, those with emotional depression will need time to heal. Time to rebuild the joy in their hearts. No amount of sermons, books, blog posts, lectures, or conversations can heal a tormented soul – only God can.
Is There Anything I Can Do About My Depression?
What sets us apart from the rest of the world is the fact that we have a hope to hold onto. We know that God will hold us up when our weakness is the greatest. We know that God cares for us and loves us unconditionally. We know that in our Lord, we can find true rest. We know that God’s presence is with us always. We know that in our lowest times, God still reaches us. We know that even when life is full of torment, God loves us and wants us to rely on Him for strength.
Hearing those things doesn’t make everything instantly feel better; of course it doesn’t. It may take years to grasp those concepts, even the ones found in the verses we memorized as kids. In the middle of our depression, those truths, while comforting, may seem distant or not applicable to us. This is normal. We’ve trained our minds to think things contrary to truth, and it’s only natural for it to take time for us to come back to what’s right and good.
Nevertheless, we must keep feeding our minds with what the Bible says. Thinking the thoughts that God says about us. Reading the Scriptures over and over. Praying for God to bring us through. Meditating on verses that remind us that God has a plan through it all. Believing God for the strength and peace He promises.
And while none of these things are magic, they help. And slowly, with the proper approach and by filling our minds with truth, we can begin to mend.
*aj
Still reading? Enjoy a free wallpaper!
Sneak Peek of My Book!
Happy Tuesday, my friends!
On Saturday, I announced to you all that I am writing a book. Aaahh! I’m really excited, and I am having a ridiculous amount of fun with it. And what better way to kick off the excitement than to share a sneak peek of the first chapter that I’m writing?
My first chapter is about stress, anxiety, and depression, and effectively dealing with it. While this may seem dismal, fear not! I decided to write this book, specifically dealing with issues pertaining to the Christian life, in order to confront the tough things we all face.
So while some topics may seem more serious or somber, I want to share this message: there is always hope, and God will never abandon us.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt. The writing style is slightly more formal than what I use here, on Scattered Journal Pages, because I’m not quite sure who my audience will wind up being for my book. Who knows where I’ll be by the end!
Stress: Parts 1 and 2 of Chapter 1
If you’d mentioned the word “stress” to me when I was a preteen, I would’ve laughed and said that it probably wasn’t that bad, whatever it was like. If you’d slipped the words “anxiety” or “depression” into a conversation, I might have solemnly said, “Oh, Christians don’t deal with those things.” But I would have been undeniably wrong.
Whether you deal with any of these things or you don’t, or whether your depression or anxiety is medical or emotional, all these things are real. They’re painful, and there is no questioning the fact that they exist. However, they don’t have to undo us. They don’t have to ruin our lives.
Stressing Over Work, School, and Life in General
When I started high school, I had no idea what I was in for. I was sure I wouldn’t survive. So many days, I did school from 8 A.M. until 10 P.M., with only a few breaks, and I was utterly overwhelmed. I was terrified of failure, terrified of a B, terrified that I wouldn’t learn or something ridiculous like that. I was so scared that I would not get everything done, and of course I did, but I barely made it.
It was awful.
School became where I got my identity, and not who I knew God saw me as; that was poisonous. I placed so much of my worth on how much work I got accomplished, and for that year and the next, stress became my way of life.
I was absolutely miserable.
Maybe you can relate. Maybe your job’s got you tied up and it consumes every thought. You’re a workaholic. Or like in my case, a schoolaholic. Maybe your living situation isn’t the greatest and it weighs on you emotionally. I get it, because I’ve been there.
But that’s not what God wants for any of us.
Anything that takes up most or all of our thought life becomes greater than God in our finite minds. I don’t mean to condemn at all, because I understand what it’s like entirely.
Stress is like an ache, something that gnaws at the depth of your soul. It’s that pit in your stomach that manifests itself when you’re lying in bed and you remember all the things you need to accomplish. It consumes every thought, and every decision is made with whatever is wrong in the back of your mind.
It is so painful, so often unbearable, but many times, it seems inescapable.
And that’s what’s the worst of it.
But we are not without hope.
Stress Over Things out of Your Control
I think a lot. Many times, I worry about other people’s problems and forget that they can be handled by the people whose problems they are. Or maybe they can’t be handled. But it’s alright.
Sometimes I think that I must be responsible for everyone else, and every problem in the world, and that so often causes me uncalled-for stress and pressure.
I’m not talking about “bearing each others burdens,” as Galatians 6:2 says. I think it’s absolutely wonderful to help others, to have compassion, to pray for them, and to support them in their times of need. That is a beautiful thing, and something none of us can live without.
What I am speaking about is when we’re constantly letting ourselves be consumed by things that we have absolutely no power over, be it another’s poor life choices, the happenings in politics, or things that go on in the world.
But it’s not our responsibility to “fix it.” Oftentimes, that’s such a difficult stress to overcome, and simply because we can do absolutely nothing about it.
For us Christians, we don’t have to let that stress overtake us.
Because we know that the world is in the hands of God.
And while it’s definitely not easy, it’s possible to leave the weight of the world on God’s shoulders and not our own. We know that He sees all. We know that He wants the best for us. Yet, we spend days worrying and nights sleepless over what we cannot change.
The evil in the world is not of God’s orchestration; it is because of sin. We live in a fallen world, and we can’t expect it to always be good.
We have pain, we suffer. But this world is not our home, and the way the world works is out of our control.
By prayer and trust in God, let us let go of the misconception that says that we need to handle it all; we don’t.
We have to let God be God, and let Him be in control.
So, what do you think? Would you want any more excerpts of chapter 1 this month? Let me know in the comments!
*aj
BONUS:
I made a wallpaper for my iPod yesterday, and wanted to share it because I thought it really fit. This is one of my favorite Bible verses ever. And oh my word, graphic design is so. much. fun.
Easter, Repentance, and a Change of Focus
Hey, friends.
This post was originally going to be longer than it is now, but the first half of my post disappeared into thin air at midnight. Not sure how, but it did.
Anyway, because tomorrow is Easter, I wanted to talk about what it really means, the significance of forgiveness, and how repentance fits into all of it.
Easter is my favorite holiday because we celebrate being forgiven. This forgiveness – the forgiveness of sins – gives us eternal life in Christ. I tweeted this yesterday:
Easter is about life – eternal life, yes, but also our lives now.
Furthermore, I wanted to continue the discussion I started on Tuesday about repentance.
After reading the post multiple times, and reading the wonderful, thought-provoking comments you all left, I wanted to clarify a few things.
I’m not at all against repentance, if that’s what I seemed to imply in Tuesday’s post. For if we deliberately harbor sin in our hearts, we will of course damage our relationship with God. I’m not bashing confession in the sense that I think that we should never come to God about our wrongdoings.
In fact, that’s not it at all.
I only hope to lead us away from an obsession with repentance, one in which we’re constantly walking on eggshells is the Christian life. I don’t think we should live a life in which we’re so obsessed with trying to do what’s right that we make sure we fess up every single time we think we might have done something wrong.
To be totally honest, I don’t believe that’s what God has for us.
We are called to freedom and grace, and no longer do we live under a yoke of slavery to sin.
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Instead of living trapped to a life of “try hard>>fail>>confess>>do it all over again,” let us live in grace. Instead of legalism, let us listen to the Holy Spirit.
Now, that’s all well and good in talking about it, but how do we actually carry it out?
What does it really look like to live under grace?
1) Get to know God by reading the Bible.
I’ve written a few posts on this topic. Post 1, Post 2, and Post 3 (in reverse chronological order). The Bible is a blessing, not a burden. But it takes more than just hearing people say that for it to become true for us. Read the New Testament for a fresh view on grace, starting in Romans. You’ll see things differently. You’ll see the contrast between God and man, and how Jesus didn’t just “wipe our slates clean,” He gave us whole new slates.
2) Submit to the work of the Holy Spirit.
You know that nudge you feel when you know God’s calling you to do something? Listen to it. Go talk to that new kid and be their friend. Share your faith with that cousin of yours. Go step out in faith to do something that you feel God wants you to do, even if it seems crazy.
Do you feel God calling you to start a YouTube channel or blog about your faith? Do it! Do you feel like you’re being called to vocational ministry? Pursue that. The Holy Spirit speaks in subtle ways, but by following His leading, we are following God’s will.
3) Continue to pray for a passion for the Gospel.
Pray all the time. Pray that you’d have a desire to live for God. Pray that you’d be used by Him. Pray that He’d show you His plan for your life. Pray that He’d use you in the lives of others. Pray that He would equip you to share your faith – even when it’s absolutely terrifying.
Prayer helps us to advance in our relationship with God, and through it, we come to trust Him more and more.
We don’t need to overemphasize repentance because as we live in submission to the Holy Spirit and our new nature, the desire to sin will decrease.
We don’t need to overemphasize repentance because Jesus’ death has pardoned our sin and given us a new nature.
We don’t need to overemphasize repentance because God does not see our sin when He looks at us – He sees Jesus’ righteousness.
When we’re in the Bible consistently, we see the significance of things like Easter. The Resurrection. Forgiveness that washes away every last one of our sins.
When we keep our ears tuned to what we feel God is leading us to do, we live a fruitful life, and not one of destruction.
When we keep in communication with God through prayer, and see that He answers our prayers, our relationship with Him grows.
Simply, a change of focus is what we need. A focus on the finished work of Christ as opposed to the filthiness of our sins. And so often, that makes a world of difference.
Happy Easter, everyone. Instead of getting caught up in simple traditions, let us remember the true meaning of it all – of sacrifice, of forgiveness, and above all, of hope.
*aj
The Bible Is Not A Burden: 3 Truths About God’s Word
One thing I’ve found quite odd in the Christian community is the mindset that reading the Bible is a chore.
Think about it. When was the last time most of us thought about reading the Bible – maybe the first thing that pops into our heads is Old Testament law – and thought, “Wow, this is such a great thing to read!”?
As hard as it is to admit it, I often have thought that way.
It took me until I was twelve or thirteen to really grasp the significance of the Bible, and practically only this year have I found such comfort, peace, and joy in studying it.
But we Christians so often treat God’s Holy Word like it’s a burden to read.
Because I’m an avid reader, I often have a book on hand that I’m into and want to read. Many times, I’ll read the Bible on my Kindle, where I have a lot of other books. While knowing full-well that I am here to read the Bible, to spend time with God and study His word, I get distracted and start thinking about what happened in the last chapter of that new novel, or how it’s going to end, or how the characters are going to make it out alive. It’s sad for me to admit it, but so many times, I’m so engaged in a fictional world that I forget how life-changing the Bible truly is.
I think our attitudes towards the Bible come from the misconceptions we harbor toward the Word of God. The misconception that the Bible is just life’s rulebook, one we must obey or else face the wrath of our iron-fisted God. The misconception that the Bible is just another classic book – dusty, hard to read, and irrelevant.
They’re not true.
And here, I would like to share with you three truths about the Bible to help us avoid the “duty” mindset.
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The Bible is Powerful.
The Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It’s not just a book written by people who lived thousands of years ago and thought they were important. It was written by God, through humans just like us, whom God decided to use. Not because they were special, but because they were willing.
This means that the principles in the Bible are timeless. The Gospel does not change. Jesus, the Savior of Paul, is the same Savior that we place our faith in today. We pray to the same God that Martin Luther prayed to, and Moses prayed to, and George Washington prayed to, and Mother Theresa prayed to. We see all these people as amazing; and yet they were just vessels that were used by God through their relationship with Him.
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The Bible Encourages Us.
When I’m depressed and discouraged, I can find no distraction big enough to fix me. I can find no motivational quote inspiring enough to get me through. But the Scripture can. Scriptures that remind me that I can have peace, no matter what. Scriptures that remind me that I am never forgotten or forsaken. Scriptures that remind me that I am lavished in love, and it has nothing to do with me.
Now listen, I’m not trying to say that simply reading the Bible is the end-all-be-all of depression, anxiety, or any other struggles. Simply reading does nothing, for truly knowing God is the key.
By reading the Bible, we get to know God. We get to understand the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We get to know that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside us (Romans 8:11). We get to be acquainted with the fact that no matter how we perform, no matter what happens to us in this life, no matter the depths of despair, we can have hope.
The rest of the world cannot have this hope because it is supernatural. Only in the Bible can we truly know the hope of Christ – His love, His grace, and His joy regardless of our circumstances (Romans 5:2-5).
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The Bible Leads Us To Maturity.
Let me be straight-up here – there is no greater book pertaining to our faith than the Bible. No other book that is the standard of absolute truth. There is no other book with concepts that stand out in different ways to us every time we read them. To forsake the Bible as absolute truth is to reject maturity.
What do I mean by that?
I simply mean that if we want to grow in our faith, we must move past the elementary doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1) and get over the emotions. Faith is more than a feeling; it is a choice and it is assurance of our hope (Hebrews 11:1).
When we read the Bible, our faith is strengthened. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts and reveals things to us that we haven’t seen before.
As for growing, we grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). By studying the Bible, we can begin to comprehend what grace looks like and why it is incredible. We see that in our darkness when we did not deserve forgiveness whatsoever, our sins were paid for.
The more we read, the more we understand. The more we understand, the more we want to get to know God better. And the more we will.
Let’s stop looking at the Bible like it’s a burden, a chore, or a hassle.
Instead, let us see it for the blessing that it is – the offering of hope in the midst of our crazy lives.
*aj
See Also:
How to Read the Bible {effectively spending time with our Heavenly Father}
There is Always Hope + Giveaway!
There is always hope.
Living in this world, we see so many people every day. Actors, musicians, models, friends, family, enemies, you name it. And towards all of them, we all tend to have the same preconceived notions.
They have their life together, and I don’t.
They are happy and fulfilled, and I’m not.
They have great relationships with others, and I don’t.
They don’t have problems like I do, and they don’t know how I feel.
Everyone loves them, but nobody cares about me.
Have you ever thought that way? It’s easy to look at Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, and say, “Wow. That person has no idea what my life’s like.” Well, you know what? It’s not true.
Everyone faces difficulty. We live in a broken world. We’re are all real people with real problems.
And as tough as it is to accept, becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that our problems go away. No matter who we may be, accepting Jesus doesn’t mean we’re happy all the time or life is easy. But what it does mean is that we don’t have to face difficulty alone.
There is always hope for us. And the Cross is proof of this.
Let me explain.
Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15). This was all because of His grace, and none of us deserved it. I love the first part of 1 Corinthians 15:10.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”
Because of His grace (and His grace alone), we have been brought to a point of renewal. We no longer are condemned by our sins, but we are counted righteous in His sight.
And when we consider how much He loves us – enough to send His Only Son to die for us – how much more will He help us in our daily lives?
When we consider the power He possesses – enough to raise His Son from the dead – how much more will He then take on our small problems as His own?
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
When we have difficulties, and we make it, it is God’s power working in us. His strength. His grace.
1 Peter 5:7
“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”
We do not have to carry our burdens, for God will carry them. He cares for us more than we realize, and all we have to do is cry out to Him.
We are never without hope. We can never brush off Jesus’ sacrifice for us, or God’s love. His peace, and joy, and renewal are free for the asking. Hope has come to us, and we must never forget that. God wants us to accept the hope that He gives us, of the saving of our souls and of the taking of our burdens.
Now as a reminder of these things, I’m giving away some downloadable wallpapers. I’ve been trying my hand at graphic-making. The first one is a desktop wallpaper, and the second one is a phone wallpaper. Enjoy! Feel free to share on social media with your friends.
To download the desktop wallpaper, click here and you’ll be taken to Google Drive. Click on the download icon at the top of the page, and the image will be saved to your computer.
*aj
A Spark of Hope
We all know the feeling of utter hopelessness. Dark situations surround us in so many times of our lives, and sometimes, it feels like there’s no way out.
I get it.
Hope is a spark. Sometimes it’s like a burning ember: so subtle, almost invisible, but still there. Yet other times, it’s a stick of dynamite that can make a world of difference in our lives.
Hope is a spark, and what we do with that spark is important.
I understand the feeling of hopelessness. That inner nagging that nothing will ever get better. Those lies in our heads that say no one cares. You’re stuck with this life. Trust in God all you want, but nothing will improve.
I hate it, because almost every single time, I believe those lies. It’s such a sickening feeling to believe that nothing will ever be bright again. I have to remind myself of all the times that God has never left me – namely, my entire life.
But I think that behind the smiles, we all can have feelings of doubt inside our hearts. Not necessarily Is God real? but more like Will God really never leave me? Is His best really being worked out in my life? Because I know I’ve felt those things at times.
Hope is a spark. But that hope can only grow from the light we find through trust in God.
Psalm 31:14-15
“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!”
God is our God no matter what. Our times are in His hand no matter how we feel about the situation. God is our deliverer, and the only One we can find true hope in.
Psalm 9:10
“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
God doesn’t guarantee us a pain-free life, but He does promise never to forsake us. I love Psalm 9:10 so much because of that promise – that in the midst of our doubts and worries, we can know with absolute assurance that GOD DOES NOT FORSAKE US. HE NEVER HAS, AND HE NEVER WILL.
Psalm 61:1-3
“Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.”
If you know me, or you know about my love for books and movies, you’ll know that I am an extreme fangirl. (Morgan, Kendra, Leah, Gabriela, Jaye, you guys know. My word, how you know.) I tend to flip out over quotes and passages and emotional scenes, and over things that I can relate to. It’s like breathing for me. When I find a quote that is so sweet or perfect for my situation…I jump up and down and squeal “YESSSSS!”
Psalm 61 is one of my favorite Psalms because it is so ME. Maybe it’s weird to say this about the Bible, but these first few verses have me shouting “YESSSSS!” to them because I can relate so much.
My heart is faint sometimes. I’m pretty sure I’ve admitted that before. This passage encourages me so much because I get to say, “God, YOU are the only One who I can run to. YOU are higher than me. YOU are my refuge. When I encounter enemies, YOU are the only one that can rescue me. I cannot do this on my own, but YOU can.”
This spark of hope is what we need. We need to trust God, regardless of whether it’s easy or not.
I was thinking the other day (yep, that’s what I do) and I figured something out.
Trusting God is easy when life is straightforward and simple, because it requires NO TRUST WHATSOEVER.
In other words, trust is easy when it’s not actually trust.
Interesting concept, right?
Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
We aren’t hopeless. We just need to ignite that spark with trust in God through all circumstances. By no means is it easy. Haha, it’s not easy at all.
But that trust will combat the greatest of doubts and fears. It’ll ignite the spark of hope in our hearts to press on, even when it feels like life is crumbling. No, trust isn’t easy. But hope, oh beautiful hope, is so worth it.
*aj
Joy in the Mundane
I know I’ve been focusing a lot on the topic of joy recently.
You would think that I’d be a joyful person all the time (hello, joy is part of my name!) but honestly, I’m not.
(Perhaps I’m simply rehashing everything I’ve been saying for the past couple of weeks. Sometimes, I just need to write things that teach me, because I’m far from perfect or complete!)
A few days ago, I got into a terrible funk where I was moody and depressed for a few hours. Why? I have no idea why. I wrote in my journal to get out of it, and realized that no part of my writing had anything to do with joy in it.
But wait, we don’t have to be happy all the time, do we?
No. Nowhere does it say that we have to be happy all the time. Why? Because happiness is dependent on circumstances – and circumstances are never 100% perfect.
True to my blog’s name, I’m going to share a journal page snippet with all of you.
“Wow, I just read what I wrote earlier. It sounds so dark and hopeless. But it’s not. If I can’t find joy in the mundane, I’m making my joy circumstantial. A horrible decision, really. Life is really okay. Even when it doesn’t feel like it. My joy should come from Jesus, and not from accomplishments or possessions or circumstances. No, it’s never easy or pain-free. But I will make it through. For this isn’t the end.”
Joy is always possible because hope is always always available.
I started to get fed up with my mundane life in which I do practically the same exact thing every single day. I wake up, I do school, I go to karate (or at least practice it), I read and/or watch TV, I write, I go to bed. EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Maybe a little exaggeration there, but I think you get the point.)
I veer toward the side of believing that joy comes from great things that God gives us. Like: opportunities. books. money. friends. freedom.
Joy isn’t happiness. Joy is a life choice and lifestyle. I recently read an amazing blog post about marriage and it talked about making the mundane and ordinary days just as wonderful as the particularly romantic parts. It struck a chord with me, because I often forget that same concept in my daily life.
For me at least, I tend to find “joy” when things go my way, or I’m happy. But that’s not joy.
Joy comes from hope.
Hope is knowing that I’m never alone.
It comes from gratitude.
I am so thankful for my salvation because I am so undeserving of it.
I have joy because I am blessed down to my soul. I am loved and treasured and I belong to my Creator.
This has nothing to do with happiness, because it’s an attitude.
I still have my days where I feel like I’m in darkness, but we all do. It’s absolutely impossible to be always happy.
But we can always put on the attitude of joy. Joy is substantial because its foundation is on hope. This hope isn’t wishful thinking, but assurance.
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
When life is mundane and difficult, joy is possible because we have assurance that faith in God – the only solid foundation – will never fail us. Our souls are saved and secure. We are loved. We were bought with a high price. We are new creations.
Life is hard. Yeah.
But it isn’t the end, nor should we let it be.
Joy is beautiful. Joy is possible, even when it’s impossible to be happy. Joy is amazing, because no matter what, we can find it because of what Jesus has done for us.
That’s where we find joy.
*aj
Scattered Journal Pages 