One thing that robs me of joy  

It’s around 5pm when I am really struggling with joy this week.  I feel tired and as the children get ready for bed and peace reigns somewhere around 8pm, I feel like I should do something productive with the last couple of hours before 10pm, but all I feel like doing is nothing.  My mornings feel full of joy, with the conscious effort of putting on joy, but by mid-afternoon I feel dissatisfied with my effectiveness and anxiety sets in about how to be productive with any ‘spare time’ I have. 

As I sit this morning and write out all the things that are making me anxious, I realize that in all the different situations what I need to know is whether to push through or let go.  When I feel exhausted at 8pm should I let go and sleep or should I push through and do something positive - finish the finances, spend some time with Mark, watch a film or read a book? 

When I look at my children’s homeschooling, I feel inadequate that they are currently not doing any sport - should I push through and find something with all the effort that takes, or should I let go and wait until the new year when there is a summer holiday sports club and new opportunities? 

When I look at the painting that is half-finished in our office, should I push through this evening and get more done, or should I leave it because I don’t feel like it? 

And the anxiety ends up with me either wasting my time on things that don’t give life or with me sleeping because it is the easiest option.  

And the reason for all these questions is that I have spent no time asking God.  I have spent no time praying about them.  I have not invited God to speak peace into my soul.  I have allowed anxiety to rob me of the joy that God has given me. 

So this morning I spent some time praying about the different situations that are bringing me anxiety. I asked God to speak into those situations and bring wisdom and peace and direction.  I pushed through in prayer in areas that I felt the enemy was opposing, and asked for peace and repented where the main opposition was my own over-active mind.  

Recently I heard a comment on Paul’s command to ‘pray continually’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  We have no problem worrying continually, so what if we highjacked those worries and turned them into prayers - suddenly we would find ourselves praying continually.  That is what I want to be conscious in doing today! 

Let's put on joy together: 

Write a list of everything that is bringing anxiety today and then take a moment to pray - both bringing the prayers to God and spending time listening to Him, asking Him for particular words or Bible verses to speak into your situation.  As you thank Him for speaking into your situations, allow God’s consolation to bring you joy! 

I hope you are en-joy-ing these posts! This is Day 6 of a 21 Day challenge to put on joy in practical ways.  You can receive these posts by email by clicking to sign up here.