There’s a tension in the air. It almost feels like you can touch it. It’s at work and at the gas station. It’s in the produce section and at the school drop-off line. It’s in the booth behind you at Applebee’s and even that encounter with your neighbor at the mailbox. Chaos. Busyness. No margin. It’s all of those words and a dozen more. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. Even wearing my linen pants doesn’t appear to be helping some days. What’s up with that? Clearly this needs attention.
At work we arrive early, stay late, eat lunch at our desk (which by the way is gross and desperately needs a good scrub), do our best to step up when our peers are drowning, and wake up tomorrow to do it all over again (with a smile on our face). Stopping at the gas station potentially sends us into orbit due to the fact that gas was $2.67/gal when we went to work this morning. But since we wanted to be early we didn’t stop and now after work it’s jumped to $3.06/gal and the first three pumps you’ve pulled up to have yellow bags over the dispenser. The produce section only has bags of potatoes that look like they’ve been there since Adam and Eve planted their garden (along with a less-than-energetic employee who has earbuds in and can’t hear you anyway). I haven’t been in a school drop-off line for years, but I hear horror stories and I don’t need to relive any of it. The booth behind us at Applebee’s needs therapy, and the wait list is generally 6-9 months so nothing is gonna be fixed any time soon. Your neighbor is just generally rude and pretty odd (by your standards, of course). So maybe that one isn’t a big deal. But you’re catching my drift, right? It’s a wild and crazy place out there!
I have no idea what your particular situation looks like. But I’m guessing that at least every once in a while (if not on a regular basis) you can relate on some level. It would be very easy to let each of those people or circumstances take every ounce of joy and just suck the life right out of me. Some days that’s exactly what happens; before I even realize it. Instead of making a U-turn or better word selections, we opt to grumble. Or maybe it’s way beyond even grumbling and has taken up residence in our hearts as if it’s a long weekend bed and breakfast. It happens. But it doesn’t have to.
I work on a Med-Surg and CCU at a local hospital. The last several years we’ve seen a lot. Our hearts have been shattered. Our thoughts and our minds have been tested. Our bodies are worn. Our perseverance is sometimes not what it used to be. The ever-evolving industry has us on our heels most days. But all it takes is one reminder. Just that one brief moment to set us back on our feet again. That’s what happened yesterday.
The last few weeks have been especially challenging. Patient census is high (well it’s flu season so……….). Staff are sick, too. And then you factor in any of those scenarios above and it’s a recipe for a pretty bad batch of something (like liver and onions). I was at band practice at church last night and found myself a bit frustrated (yes, I understand how that sounds). I looked down and noticed my phone receiving a text. Picking it up, I found this message. Instantly, my heart and mind responded. THIS! THIS is what it’s all about. My joy isn’t found in all of those other things or places or people. My joy comes only from Jesus. And any time I’m blessed to serve someone or get to witness someone else being in the presence of Jesus, my tank is filled back up. Overflowing. What an honor!
Regardless of what you might be dealing with, don’t give the enemy the satisfaction. Steal my joy? Not a chance. I’m a child of God, Redeemed, Set Free, and Full of JOY.
Nehemiah 8:10 ~ ….for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
So true 🙏