My friend Andrea has a blog where she writes about fibromyalgia. I was really moved by what she wrote about finding joy in her life in spite of her struggles.
"There's more to life than happiness, because there's joy. Joy is more than happiness. Happiness focuses on circumstances. Joy focuses beyond circumstances. It doesn't even come from whatever might be the situation. For me, this has been a huge and continuing lesson. I'm learning that when I fixate on my unwellness I then forget to turn my eyes to the Lord.
When I focus on my unhappy circumstances, joy's elusive. I can't find it. That's because I've made my health my idol. You can't build happiness into joy from an idol. An idol just plain old has no joy to give. But, where is joy? Joy is in the Lord.
Joy is only in the Lord. The Lord is joy. Can I find my hope, my strength, and my joy in Him despite my circumstances? Yes. My illness can't be my idol when the Lord is my God. Even when my mind's ruled by fear and anxiety, I can find joy. I may feel unhappy, but I can know joy.
You see, joy is built on faith. And, faith is not a feeling. It's built on the unshakeable character of Jesus Christ. Joy is then built on the truth that the Lord is good all the time no matter what. So, no matter what circumstances storm my life, God controls the storm. That is a fact. He is good. That is a fact. He loves me. That is a fact.
So, resting in Him, I can have joy despite my fibromyalgia. My God who loves me will always be bigger than the circumstances life throws at me. I might perhaps be sorrowful but I can always be rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10)"
While I don't have a chronic illness, I do have struggles that cause me to be ruled by fear and anxiety........Lord, please walk with me as I work at finding joy.
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