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Finding Joy in Simple Things

Today’s challenge is to answer the question “what brings you joy?” It’s quite an undertaking since I have heard entire sermons on the subject. I spent one three-month term teaching my Sunday school class all about it from the Book of Philippians.

You don’t have to be an aeronautical engineer to conclude explaining what brings me joy could fill a book. No one has time for that today. Let’s see if I can do it in under 500 words.

Define It

Joy tends to be an ambiguous term. Some people use it interchangeably with happiness (but not me). Even Merriam-Webster has four separate definitions.

For the purpose of this post, I will use this definition from the aforementioned dictionary guru: “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.”

I still find this to be a shallow interpretation for something Jesus promised to make full within us. Joy for me is the knowledge that I am in the right place doing exactly what God wants me to do at that moment. Further, I’m basking in His glory rather than my own.

My joy comes from:

  • Holding my husband’s hand
  • Finishing my writing goals for the day
  • An early morning sunrise
  • Watching the ocean swallow the sun
  • Hearing my sons give a devotional or sing a special in church
  • Positive comments about anyone in my family
  • Hot coffee in the morning
  • Walking in the fresh air and basking in sunshine
  • Discovering something new in a Bible verse I’ve known for years
  • Completing any project
  • My cat purring against my back or chest – just so I can feel the vibrations while hearing the warmth of that motor
  • Watching snow fall

It should be apparent that my joy has less to do with me and more to do with others. Not surprising really. Remember the Sunday school acronym we learned: “Joy is putting Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. JOY.”

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What has brought  joy into your life today?

2 thoughts on “Finding Joy in Simple Things”

  1. Beautiful images you evoke of joy. i love the smell of fresh cut grass, a baby’s laugh. Watching puppies play. My grand-daughter. So many things give me joy every day and I am thankful for each one.

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