“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”—Romans 15:13 (NIV).
Time spent with my grandchildren brings this grandmother, known as Nana, great joy. My youngest, now three, recently spent a few hours with me while her daddy and older brother went to a movie.
Although I was tired from mowing my lawn earlier in the day, I gave in when Ruby wanted to play outside. Barefooted, we stepped into the backyard to enjoy the waning days of summer. She wanted to blow bubbles, so I grabbed a couple of bottles stashed in the garage.
We took turns blowing bubbles and chasing them across the freshly mown grass. Ruby’s giggles and loud laughter carried over the fence and into the neighbors’ backyards. Her joy was contagious and lifted my spirits and infused my tired body with new energy. It also reminded me the simple things in life usually bring the most satisfaction.
As We Grow Older
As we grow older, we lose our innocence. Burdened with the responsibilities of being a grown-up, we forget how to enjoy what God has given us.
Instead, we’re focused on either surviving, making a living, or spending our hard-earned money on things that really don’t matter, like the latest tech gadgets. Our focus turns away from the true source of joy, Jesus.
With our noses buried in our cell phones, we overlook the blessings from our Heavenly Father. When difficult times arise, we usually forget to turn to Him. But spending time in His Holy Word can help us delight in the Lord again and renew a right spirit within us.
A Renewed Spirit
True joy is rooted in who God is. It’s not fleeting nor based on our circumstances. It can only be realized in heartfelt gratitude for God’s love, mercy, and grace. It’s not based on circumstances, or in the purchase of a new gadget or other possessions.
Scripture encourages us to rejoice in our blessings and give glory to God in all things. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).
Author S.D. Gordon once said, “Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens.”
No Matter What Happens
No matter what happens in our life, as Christians, we should rejoice in knowing our hope is in our Heavenly Father. Whether we’re facing trials or have just come out of one, as Paul reminds us in Romans 5:3-4, “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
When our hope is in God, we can experience a joyous life. Even when everything around us—natural disasters, wars, and pandemics—we don’t have to worry. Although these things are serious, we can’t take them so seriously that we forget who is really in charge of this world—and it’s not us.
We can rejoice every day, not because life is always good, but because God is. Be more light-hearted. Kick off your shoes and go barefoot in the grass. And if you feel like it, blow bubbles, even if you don’t have a child to share them with.
