Finding Joy
by Ellen Clodfelter
Who has started thinking about their New Year’s Resolutions for 2024 yet? I know, I know, I think I heard a collective “ugh” in the room. Before we explore the new resolutions of ’24, let’s look back at previous year’s resolutions. Did anyone eat better? Did you lose weight? Did you manage your money better and save? Did anyone learn something new? Did you spend more time with family or friends? Did you live your life to the fullest? Or did you fall in the same rut as years passed?
You ask, what about me? Did I keep any of my resolutions from years past? No, not really. I haven’t gained a new exercise routine that I keep on a daily or weekly basis. I still get Amazon packaged to my door almost daily (don’t tell my husband 😉). I still haven’t learned how to play the guitar. Do I see my friends and family more? Sometimes, I would still rather stay home. In fact, I think I haven’t made any new year’s resolutions in the last couple of years because realistically I know I won’t keep any of them. I also think to myself, why can’t I make resolutions any day of the year, instead of waiting until January 1st to implement one.
I always feel optimistic at the beginning of every January, “This year is going to be a great year!” and this always followed with some sort of tragedy usually in the first couple of weeks of January. Almost 3 years ago on January 6th a mob of people incited by our president stormed the Capitol where five people died. Years ago, on January 28th the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded.
How many of you started this year with optimism? What good things will 2023 bring? This year will be a good year. What happened? Disappointment? Regret? Sadness? Depressed? Sick? Misfortune? Disaster, or even death?
These feelings that we have are because of outside circumstances that affect what kind of mood we are in. If I keep looking into myself, “Woes me, “I’m disappointed… I’m full of regret… I’m sad… I’m depressed… I’m sick of… I’m surrounded by people dying… Why do these things keep happening to me…” These circumstances can legitimately affect how we are feeling. In fact, the definition of feelings is “an emotional state or reaction to our circumstances.”
My husband and I recently watched a movie and there was quote in it that made us both stop and think. “All human behavior is determined by whether we are running away from pain or running towards pleasure.” Isn’t that the truth? It seems that my whole life is trying to avoid anything that’s uncomfortable or painful and run towards things that make me happy.
I’m tired of letting things that I CANNOT control, control the way I am feeling. Happiness comes and goes along with its circumstances. We need to bring JOY back in our lives. Joy is the state of happiness which is not based on our circumstances. Joy is a result of a choice and a determination to trust that God has everything under His control. When you give up trying to control your life and everything around you then you can achieve pure, authentic joy.
Lord, help me not let something I have no control over, control my life. For the year 2024 please give me your Joy that rises above all my circumstances.
