True Joy Is A Gift

Image by Ninian Reid via Flickr

Today Bonnie gave us this topic to write on….

Complete the following sentence:  A gift you’ve recently received from God.

Hmmmm….

I feel like I should write something BIG here, or maybe something deeply profound, or life altering. Alas, nothing like that comes to mind.

Over my lifetime, God has indeed given me gifts. Gifts that have forever altered my life. I don’t think that is what I’m going to write about today….Bonnie wants, recently.

The thought that keeps niggling at the back of my mind is the word contentment. Oh God, not that! I don’t consider contentment a “gift”. I’m not even any good at being content. I know. I know. It’s a lesson, right Lord? A lesson, that if I could ever REALLY learn it, would be a gift. A gift beyond measure. You’d think someone who had spent the majority of her life either as a student or a teacher (or both at once) , would be able to pick up on a lesson, right? Be able to catch on quickly? Um…. no.

I am working at contentment. Thank God, He has yet to give up on me.

The other night I was walking back from the barn with my husband. It was dark outside. We were walking together, my arm linked with his. I appreciated the quiet stillness all around us, broken only by the occasional distant moo, or bark. The moonlight made our front yard glow. I was thankful and content in that moment. I suppose it is a gift to be able to truly appreciate in the moment…to be able to consciously step back and be grateful for those minutes in time.

I long to be better at this. Happiness is fleeting. Don’t we all know that? Some days are better than others. I want more than happiness, because feelings are so fickle.

I want joy.

In my mind, contentment and joy are two sides of the same stone.

As I work on being content in all circumstances…God will give me joy.

And true joy IS a gift.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.   Psalm 28:7   NIV

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