Stealer of Joy

When first created, we were in perfect union with God. There was perfect and pure joy. After sin entered the world, it created a void and a disconnect between us and God. A void or a "God-shaped-hole" in our hearts, meant to be filled by Him.

Jennifer Clarke writes in her article 5 Joy Stealers, "...it also seems to me that joy is an aspect of life that has been touched by the curse of sin. Because all too often, joy is not our natural state; like warriors, we must constantly be on the lookout for the enemies of our joy, acting vigilantly to protect it, fighting off the adversaries at every turn."

Again, if joy is something that connects us to the divine, we must protect it and fight for it. Yet there are many things that try to steal our joy and prevent us from being connected to God. In simple terms, any sin separates us from God. If it is what causes the void, part of our "fight" against the enemies of our joy, is to avoid sin.

In my own life, I find it helpful to pin point which sins I may struggle with the most and find ways to combat them. I like to try to identify my weaknesses and turn them into opportunities to be filled with good instead.

Aside from sin, suffering and pain can also try to steal your joy. Pain and suffering does not come from God. It is a result of sin. It can be very hard to maintain joy amidst suffering. This is what I want to speak into with the next few blog posts. I want to share with you how I have been able to find joy amidst everything that tries to steal it away.

My hope is that from reading these posts, you will discover new ways to experience joy. Something I believe to be the best and most fulfilling feeling of all. Joy is a gift and is always there being offered to you. Suffering or pain is simply just an emptiness where comfort or goodness should be. I like to see suffering as an opportunity to receive the gift as it provides the abundant good you need.

One step at a time, day by day will we rediscover joy and be abundantly filled with exactly what we need. There are always new places and ways to find it, I hope I can show you a few. :)