Seasons pt. 1

I have had a very interesting week. First off I have a job and its really weird to have this job because this will be the biggest change in my life. I am actually going to Korea. That is so weird for me to even say. But back to this week, I have had such a peace for the last week. The weeks leading up to this one I was dealing with so much anxiety and impatience. I wanted to know so desperately the future and what is in store for this next season. This week i decided to throw that all away and just rely on the Lord. Its crazy to me that no matter what season we are in there is always the overlooming thought that it will end soon. That thought has been carrying me in the last month or so during this season of anxiety and unanswered questions, it will soon be over and now the thought is this season of peace will soon be over. I guess that is what makes life so interesting that no matter what season we are in there is always something around the corner.

James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

But how is it possible to count ALLLLLL things joy? When we are in the season of loneliness how is that joyful? When we are in a season of grieving a loss how can we be joyful? joy is defined as: the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation. How is it possible to find joy in all things by that definition? Not ALL things will be satisfying so are we off of the hook when things are bad? Or did James mess it up? NEITHER I think it is deeper than that. I dont believe joy is an emotion. I believe Joy is a choice. We choose to Find Jesus in every season He is the only one that makes anything joyful. Happiness is an emotion, many things can make us happy. The chiefs picking Eric Berry made me happy, seeing the Jonsi concert last night made me happy, even eating Popeyes tonight for dinner makes me happy. But happiness is so flighty it is so wishy/washy. Happiness is something that we have control over we can control if something makes us happy. But joy...true joy is whether we are in a good season or a bad season, one in which we are anxious or one in which there is peace we find Jesus and grace that comes along with finding Him. So going back to what James says have we been spending our lives and time counting all things happy instead of joy. I know i have. But only by choosing to find joy will we be able to live a life that James calls us too.

So may we find Jesus in everything and in turn find Joy.