Be Joy.
For the past two years, I’ve spent a lot of time comparing my life to others. Teddy Roosevelt sure got it right when he said that “comparison is the thief of joy.” I spent (and often continue to spend) way too much time being envious of joy-filled (not joyful) people. I envied the people who had their life together or had joy even when being away from home in uncomfortable situations (e.g. college). I found myself oohing and ahhing at the people who had joy and happiness, especially when I had been struggling to find joy. I wrote all over every journal and scrap of paper I could find “seek joy” in big, bold letters, but going into 2019, I decided to let go of that phrase and pick up a new one. I had spent years finding people and things to seek joy (or worth) in.
Seeking joy can be a full-time job when you’re looking outward and expecting other people to serve joy up to you on a silver platter. Also, have you ever sat down and realized that your joy varies so drastically from another person's joy? So the term “seek joy” can mean a million little things, but we mash it all up into one little phrase that we preach to no end. How harmful is it when we are seeking joy in places and people that fail us every single day?! I decided to retire that phrase and bring in a new one in 2019: be joy.
It sounds so silly and simple to tell yourself to be joy, but if you are constantly searching for joy in the world, you can so easily be disappointed. I take a lot of pride in my relationships with friends and family, but if I am always waiting for them to bring joy to the table, I could be waiting a long time. If I decide to be joy, and bring joy to the table every single time, then I will continue to be rewarded. Tirelessly seeking joy can be exhausting, but being joy can look a little different every day. Being joy doesn’t mean showing up to scary, annoying, toxic situations with a smile on your face, ready to change the world. Being joy means looking inward and remembering that the same Creator who created you and your shortcomings (along with the stars and mountains and oceans) created difficult people and situations too.
Bringing joy to the table requires confidence (and a whole lot of patience) in the person you are and the person you are becoming. Being joy means choosing to dig deep into people (even especially difficult people) because you are confident that our God has a purpose for each and every person and moment. Being joy sometimes (most times) requires re-centering yourself each morning and evening and taking heart in knowing that God doesn’t require you to bring your shiniest, most put-together self to the table. That’s not what joy is. Joy isn’t circumstantial. Joy is—listen up for this one—living in complete gratitude for where your feet are planted in this very moment.
words by Maddie Watson and photo by Sarah Mohan