Comfort & Joy

OK.  I admit it.  This second lockdown has been getting me down.  I’m weary and fed up, despite my attempts to try and look for the positive in the current situation.  I’ve felt like this before of course.  Life isn’t always a bed of roses, even with faith, hope and love, but I just need to break out of this new normal.  Unfortunately, I can’t.  Just like everyone else, I have to be mindful of the risk, aware of the restrictions, and careful to do the right thing.

So how do I maintain comfort and joy in a season in which comfort and joy is often a theme.  Well, there are ways, but last week I was prompted to remember another time when I was feeling grumpy.  At that time I was inspired by a book.  It wasn’t a classic but when I saw it on the shelf, it stopped me in my tracks.

I don’t consider myself a grumpy person generally but the words on the cover of this book spoke to my heart about my negative attitude.  So, 3 years ago, I started regularly writing the blessings of each day or week.  Those times when someone has been kind, where I’ve witnessed something beautiful, gained pleasure from something, or just been grateful to have a roof over my head and food on my table.  In my grumpy moment last week, I was prompted to read these blessings before I went to sleep.  As I read them they brought back all sorts of memories, some quite painful, but they also brought the comfort and joy of knowing that whatever happens, there are blessings to be found.  Light in the daytime and the dark.

The apostle Paul, went through many dark and difficult times, often imprisoned for his beliefs but he learnt how to deal with such circumstances.  He was well qualified therefore to write to those suffering hardship and persecution and to tell them to always be thankful.  He, and I, am able to do that because we know that whatever our daily circumstances, we have the joy of the Lord which is our strength (or comfort as com-fort means ‘with strength’).  Jesus came to save the world, to restore our relationship with God, to bring eternal joy. But choices are necessary.  

When I was grumpy, I had to choose to focus on the blessings I had.  I had to choose what brings me life and will help my well-being, rather than choosing to focus on those things that are bringing me down.  Of course, I can’t always change my circumstances by putting my head in the sand, but I can choose to find at least one thing that is good.  Just as I had to choose to focus on my blessings, which is good for the well-being of my soul, to receive the eternal joy that God gives, we have to choose to focus on him for our spiritual well-being.  In Jesus we have the promise of eternal blessings and life everlasting.  The joy of this promise becomes rooted in the hearts, minds and spirits of those who believe and gives comfort to endure until the day that promise is fulfilled. 

So, if like me you’re feeling grumpy, maybe you can choose life.  Life for the well-being of your soul by counting your blessings and life for the well-being of your spirit by choosing Jesus.