I've been on the lookout for images of "joy" to use here on my blog and also to help focus my thoughts as I zoom in on JOY as my one word this year. Do you know what I keep finding?
Pictures of happy, smiling people.
People jumping into the air (e.g. "jump for joy").
Images from Christmas.
I don't think that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Although a Bible search for "joy" brings up plenty of verses about celebrating, it has a lot to say about a different kind of joy, too.
The joy I'm looking for is deeper than a smile.
It's longer-lasting than a season of the year.
It's there even when you have no strength to leap, or even stand.
I'm after the joy that is rooted in a relationship with the Lord (Galatians 5:22) and is expressed in and through our relationships with others (1 Thessalonians 3:9).
I'm looking for the joy that the apostle James says is a byproduct of testing and trials (James 1:2).
I'm in search of the joy that motivated Jesus to go to the cross (Hebrews 12:2).
But my search engine doesn't bring up images like that. No tears. No agony. No crosses.
Hmmm.
I'm excited to dig into this in 2014 and to share what I find here. Are you blogging about your One Word at all this year? I invite you back here on Wednesday when I'll have my first weekly link-up for "One Word Wednesday". Share what you are learning and see what others are focusing on as well!
Pictures of happy, smiling people.
People jumping into the air (e.g. "jump for joy").
Images from Christmas.
I don't think that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Although a Bible search for "joy" brings up plenty of verses about celebrating, it has a lot to say about a different kind of joy, too.
The joy I'm looking for is deeper than a smile.
It's longer-lasting than a season of the year.
It's there even when you have no strength to leap, or even stand.
I'm after the joy that is rooted in a relationship with the Lord (Galatians 5:22) and is expressed in and through our relationships with others (1 Thessalonians 3:9).
I'm looking for the joy that the apostle James says is a byproduct of testing and trials (James 1:2).
I'm in search of the joy that motivated Jesus to go to the cross (Hebrews 12:2).
But my search engine doesn't bring up images like that. No tears. No agony. No crosses.
Hmmm.
I'm excited to dig into this in 2014 and to share what I find here. Are you blogging about your One Word at all this year? I invite you back here on Wednesday when I'll have my first weekly link-up for "One Word Wednesday". Share what you are learning and see what others are focusing on as well!
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