Revival of Joy
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NASB): Even if the fig tree does not blossom, and there is no fruit on the vines, if the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food, Even if the flock disappears from the fold, and there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will triumph. In the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like deer’s feet, And has me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
One of my absolute favorite books is, “Hinds Feet for High Places.” It is an allegory type of story that parallels the Christian walk of life having a relationship with Jesus, for which these verses helped anchor the author’s story. The main character, Much-Afraid’s, goal is to be with The Great Shepherd in the High Places. I have read it again and again, each time finding myself relating to a different part of poor Much-Afraid’s journey walking with the Shepherd. I can relate to her, as she is described as having difficulties with her body, things not working correctly, and her fretting about how she wishes things were different for her, wanting her feet to be like deer’s feet. I’ve spent a lot of my life wrestling with these thoughts.
As I write this, in the back of my mind I have a mighty to-do list for this weekend. Including packing, as I prepare to leave my family to do a radiation treatment for cancer. I spoke with my aunt today as she wanted to see how I was doing. I proceeded to tell her about how I had my nails painted with neon colors to represent being radioactive and that I was hoping they would let me take pictures while I was receiving the medication, because radioactive containers apparently look really cool. She mentioned that she was surprised I was in such good spirits, and asked how I can be so joyful as I embark on the next leg of my medical adventure. My response, “Only Jesus.”
There is this search that seems to permeate our culture and society. We are all searching for “the thing” that will “make me happy.” The perfect spouse. The well-behaved children. The best job. The lovely, social media picture worthy home. A nice nest egg in my bank account. The right weight. The trendy hair color and style. None of these things are bad; in fact, they can be amazing blessings. It is important to know that none of these provide what I am looking for. Because I’m not looking for happiness. My soul craves joy. While many may disagree, joy only comes from the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 84). I love what Eugene H. Peterson says:
“Anyone who gets in touch with God gets in touch with joy. All true joy is derivative. It doesn’t originate from the world. It doesn’t originate from us. It originates from Him. And when we get close to Him, it rubs off.”
When I found out I had cancer, God was right there with me, speaking to my heart. This journey has allowed me to connect with Him in deeper ways that I don’t think I ever have before. The closer I get to Him, by spending time in His Word (The Bible), praying, and worshipping; the more joy (and peace) I have. I still have emotions, rough moments, difficult days, and hard situations in this journey. But life is not either or. Life is both. It’s beautiful and ugly. It’s blessed and difficult. Where I find my joy being revived is in Him, ALL my blessings come from Him, and He is the One present with me during the hard seasons.
Without getting into a doctrinal discussion, I thought an interesting point is that one of the requirements of the Roman Catholic Church to “canonize” someone with the title of “Saint,” is that the person had to have exhibited “evidence of hilaritas.” Hilaritas is a Latin word that means “cheerfulness, good humor, joyousness, merriment, and hilarity.” In plain English, these believers were joyful, capable of laughing and praising God despite their circumstances. It’s good to ask myself regularly, “When was the last time I laughed? When was the last time I praised God?”
It has been such an intense and hard season these past 18-months. While I do not know the intricacies of your specific journey, I do know we are all on a journey of life. It is my prayer that even if this has been the most difficult leg of your journey thus far or if this hasn’t been a hard season, that we can be like Much-Afraid and call out to the Great Shepherd. Jesus is our joy and salvation. He is with us whether life is in a season of being beautiful or ugly. When we lean into Him, He will rub off on us and renew our strength to get through difficult things and enjoy the beautiful things as they come.
Points to Ponder:
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When was the last time you laughed?
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When was the last time you praised God?
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Is there evidence of joy in my life?
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If the answer is no, what can you do today to draw closer to Jesus so His joy rubs off on you?
Megan Sinisi absolutely adores a good cup of coffee, chocolate, and sitting with people to share life stories. She is a native to Las Vegas, born and raised, and has four beautiful children with her handsome husband, Vincenzo. She is a counselor, specializing in the field of addictions, with multiple certifications, both in Nevada and nationally. She directed Nevada’s largest treatment court and has been building her private practice since 2014, acquiring contracts with the City of Las Vegas, City of Henderson, Clark County Special Defender’s Office, and Zappos.com. It is because of her own journey of healing and through her career that she has learned the wounds we have can begin to be healed as we share our stories. She considers it an honor when someone shares their story with her, and hopes that as she shares her stories of victory and healing that others can be inspired, encouraged, and challenged. Megan has a love and fervor for writing and is walking in faith that God is calling her to use that passion and gift for His glory. She is someone who is known for her honesty and transparency that brings light to difficult situations and feelings, and offers hope and encouragement for the journey of life. It is her hope that by sharing her journey, it encourages, challenges, inspires, comforts, and most importantly, shines the light of Jesus and the reality of His love, grace, and mercy. You can find more from Megan at www.meganjsinisi.com And @meganjsinisi on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.