Where's Your Joy?
Life is like a scavenger hunt: you find what you look for.
“Reading and riding horses.”
“Love—either giving it or receiving it.”
“Worship.”
“Sunset drives with the windows down.”
As our car full of friends headed south on I-55 discussed our sources of joy, I was struck by something: what if we thought about our places of joy the same we we think about taking care of our physical needs, like food and shelter and sleep?
When we wake up each day, usually our focus goes straight to the immediate needs of life: grabbing breakfast, heading to work or class, checking things off our to-do list, and attending all the social engagements we may or may not actually want to attend. Where does that leave our sources of joy and peace? Often, forgotten.
So, let me ask you the same question my friend asked our car that day: where do you find internal joy? It can’t be something dependent on someone else , but a place or activity where you feel an abundance of joy regarding your life. Next, let me ask you another question: how often do you intentionally create space in your life to go to that place or participate in that activity? If you’re anything like me, it’s not often enough. Or, even if it is, how often do you take the time to look for the joy in those moments?
I don’t believe we can manufacture joy; I do believe we can cultivate it. This is not about living a life of hedonism, where we chase a momentary high; it’s about consistently cultivating an attitude of joy in everything we do. The best place to start is with the places where joy comes to us most naturally. Once we find and pursue those places where we experience joy, we can begin to take that joy with us to the places where it’s tougher to feel.
Here’s what I mean by this. For me, there’s nothing quite like a summer sunset drive with the windows down, listening to my favorite song of the week, reflecting on the blessings I’ve experienced in my life. Even if I could block out every day at sunset to do this, it still limits me to once a day to experience that type of joy. So, what can I do to cultivate that joy across other areas of my life? The gratitude is the key: no matter where I am or what time of day it is, I can pause to be grateful. Sometimes it means writing down what I’m grateful for in my journal, other times it’s just repeating it out loud as I drive from one customer meeting to the next. Often, it’s pulling up my favorite worship playlist, whether I’m at the gym or making dinner.
What’s at the heart of your place of joy? For my one friend, it’s love. She can give and receive love in so many different ways, she can find joy everywhere. Perhaps for you, it’s serving others. While often we limit service to very specific activities, we can find an infinite number of small ways to serve others in our day-to-day. Maybe it’s learning, working hard at something, or simply being present with others. No matter your source of joy, you can consistently cultivate it in new areas of your life.
As a person of faith, I believe the ultimate source of joy is our heavenly Father, who gives us the Holy Spirit to produce fruits such as joy, peace, and kindness. By abiding in Him, we can consistently live in and through true joy, sharing it with the world around us. The more we create space for closeness with God in our lives, the more our joy will overflow.
Wherever you’re at in your journey with joy, my hope for you is this: you will identify your source of joy, you will cultivate your joy, and you will share your joy.
Journal Prompt of the Week
When is the last time you experienced true, abundant joy? Are you self-aware of where your best joy is found?