Seeking Joy

Recently, my husband fell and broke two bones in his foot. My care taking responsibilities increased and I began to feel tired, overwhelmed and insecure. Discouragement began to gnaw at my heart until I countered it and encouraged myself by reading of a list of antidotes to stress, tension, worry, fear, anger, anxiety and depression. I now keep it handy, on my kitchen desk, because it lifts me out of deceptive life-draining emotions and moves me into life-nurturing truths. My husband is healing, God has provided amazing support for us and God’s kept me safe from the dark holes of fearful imaginations about worst case scenarios and what might happen.

Here’s my list, amended and expanded to fit my needs and personality. Take it, run with it, and apply the directives that encourage you. It works— as surely as an anti-venom works against poisons.

To nurture joy and avoid its hindrances

• Be objective. Dial down to calm.

• Stay in the present.

• Live, don’t merely exist— for one day at a time.

• Remember that God loves you and your loved ones; He always has every person’s  best interests at heart; He alone knows what is needed.

• Trust that God is working through every challenge to bring about His good purpose.

• Make choices that bring joy— be it only humming a song.

• Commit to never giving up hope or giving in to darkness.

• Proactively move to make necessary and helpful changes.

• Find joy and beauty in the little things of every day experience.

• Nurture your natural sense of wonder and curiosity.

• Be thankful and express it.

• Be ever mindful that God loves all of us and commands us to extend mercy and withhold judgment.

• Determine to be kind and courteous.

• Respect limits and boundaries, your own and others.

• Forgive.

• Keep contact with the source of joy, Jesus.

• “Look on the sunny side, always on the sunny side, look on the sunny side of life.”