A Search for Joy

Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Maaning could be re-titled for me My Search for Joy. I've been searching for joy fro a long time, probalby my whole life. Joy really came to my attention a few years back when Conversations (a wonderful, but no longer published journal) printed an article about joy. In it I learned that joy is biologically different from happiness. They show up when experienced in different parts of the brain. Happiness depends on which way the emotional winds are blowing at the moment. Joy is more deeply rooted than that. Joy also dissipates over time and has to be replenished. Of course the Disney Pixar movie Inside Out helped as Joy was at the forefront as heroine of the movie's theme and focus. Joy became more real in the grace of a second relationship and commitment in marriage to Camille. And today I am mining the literature as well as my heart as to what taking delight in means. Joy and delight are akin. Joy and delight result in a deep sense of satisfaction. They involve spontaneity, improvisation. No wonder this early on introvert found great satisfaction in puns, those word jokes learned while practicing over a two year period of time for the National Spelling Bee. I also learnd from Anne that puns and jokes can hurt, so I had to tone down my spontaneity in that area and reflect before I go splashing my word tricks on someone else. This takes me back to the seed planting of this journey when I read Stephen Shoemaker's sermon about contentment which as I've discovered, is a part of joy and delight. Stephen wrote about Psalm 131:2 -But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. (NIV) So what does this have to do with my life's focus now in working toward the healing of trauma through a ministry of the church? Abuse and trauma rob God's creatures of joy and delight that are born in the innocence of childhood, and even that of adulthood. The Good News, Banner Headlines, are that there is hope and healing even from the most brutal abuse or neglect! And a vital, living, renewed, refreshed relationship with God through Jesus Christ can bring that to re-fruition in a person's hear that has been shattered by the brokenness of abuse and neglect. For some of you today, all you can feel is the darkness you were plunged into at a veyt early age, or maybe, recently. Let me say with Psalm 30:4b - "...weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Wake up with me this day and find and experience joy. The Father has left that gift next to your bedside, ready for you to be dressed in it this day. Feel the warmth and clean scent of joy and delight wash over you as He clothes you in his righteousness. Let's rejoice! And, again, I say (along with the apostle Paul), rejoice! Blessings!