↠ I wish I could introduce y'all to my new friends - Tuka & George. The two happiest, most beautiful, and wisest men I've ever met. You would like them, cuz' you'd have to be insane not to. I feel that they are going to be something super great and that they'll do something super great. Something lovely is deep within their souls & I am so excited to share it with you!
I met Tuka and George at an international english/bible class for college students. I was teaching a student from Ghana the history behind Halloween; when these two Nigerians marched over, introduced themselves, and hugged the breath out of me. They plopped right down at my table and offered me a candy + a sweet compliment. I did a bit of english teaching, but long story short - they taught me. A LOT! about Christ. about peace. about Christ. about themselves. about Christ. and about joy. I was pretty amazed by these two and probably did a bit of mouth gaping at some of the things they said. They just laid everything out so plain and simple, they knew their stuff, and they knew Jesus ⎯ I mean, reeeeaally knew. Towards the end of the class, George brought a sack of chocolate creams to the table and handed me one and took one himself. We unwrapped the silver paper & sucked on the chocolates in silence. George stared at me with twinkling eyes and eventually said: "What is joy?" I passed the chocolate to the other cheek and said it meant an unending feeling of happiness ⎯ it was something only the LORD could give you, like a touch of sunshiny peace. ⎯ But that is that everything joy is about? ⎯ according to George ↓
Joy is:
a feeling of hope
a positive perspective on things
choosing to look at Jesus
choosing to look at good
gladness in the salvation we have
knowing God loves you
exhilaration
knowing tomorrow is a new start
Today, there are millions & millions of people searching for this thing called joy ⎯ or happiness. If I can get this job, I will be so happy. If I get a boyfriend, I will be so happy. If I can go to this school, I will be so happy. If I can have this, I will be do happy. If I get this, I will be so happy etc. // The problem is, they are looking for temporary fulfillments. Temporary pleasures. Happiness is not joy & I have a feeling people confuse the two way too much. While happiness is passing, joy stays and stays and stays. It is like a feeling of contentment & gladness deep within our souls. We will not always feel it, but it is there. God instills it in us when we cast all our burdens, one by one at His feet. Joy comes softly and sweetly when we shyly choose to put our trust in the hands & the creator that made us. formed us. Joy is the hope of the LORD ━ it is the assurance of Christ Jesus in us and without hope, we have no joy. Nīen, Nadā, Nope. None. We can only be filled with joy when we let Jesus fill us. Can I get an amen? Joy is something the enemy seeks to steal ⎯ I feel that He puts obstacles in our path to confuse us, to lead us astray, to trick us into believing that joy is found in the more we can get. Joy is really found in the simplest of things, like the tiniest of things. There is no profound secret. I tend to chuckle a touch when I see others searching so fiercely for it ⎯ it is literally staring them right in the face!
George: "Bits of joy are found in family." Tuka: "In friends." Student 1: "In reading the bible." Student 2: "When I go to church." Me: "In bacon...."
Basically, joy is God's endless gifts upon gifts upon gifts. Joy is God's goodness bubbling up inside us. Joy is knowing that even though storms may arise, it is be well because we have this blessed assurance of Christ's faithfulness to us. Joy is Jesus.
Joy Is Jesus
Joy is Jesus. It was from the beginning & shall be till the end. When God breathed life into man, He breathed His joy, His goodness. We must be willing to see it. We must want to see it. We will know once we find it ⎯ see, it will make our hearts light. Our problems not our concern. Our pains less severe, less alone. Joy comes like the rising of the sun. soft. slowly. brightly. and full of unexplainable peace.
"In your presence, there is fullness of joy"
psalm 16:11
