Notes From Me To You December 17, 2023
Keep Working On Discovering The Things That Bring You Joy
The third Sunday of Advent is about joy.
If you have been trying to balance the to-do list and all the things and still muster up the Christmas spirit, joy has probably been far from your mind.
We are in the home stretch, and no matter what your celebrations include or do not include, this time of year can be overwhelming.
We can still choose joy as we move frantically to get it all done.
Joy does not mean that we pretend all is well; joy means that even in the midst of all, we can choose to be joyful.
One of the easiest ways to spark joy is to do something FUN. And yes, that may require moving some things around to make time for fun.
Look at Christmas lights, watch a holiday movie, put on Christmas tunes, and sing your heart out.
A kind gesture to bring someone else joy will also make your heart happy.
Shifting the focus from grumpiness to gratitude can also help us shift to joy.
Some folks go deeply into the Bible when celebrating Advent, and some have chocolate countdown calendars that may not make it to the final Sunday of Advent, but the theme that is the same is the anticipation of good news and good cheer.
The good news of Christmas.
As we await the good news, rejoicing and being joyful is a reminder of the good. It is a chance for us to hold on to the good, even on a hard day.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).
Work on shifting your mind and thoughts to rejoice when things get overwhelming, and on the good days, also take time to rejoice. In all situations, make time for prayer.
This Advent season, I have reflected a lot about how so many of us, including myself, have had times when we are so focused on getting it right that the worry of imperfection can take the joy out of the season for us.
As we head into this week, make focusing on things that bring you joy a priority, and when those thoughts of imperfection creep in, take a moment to pray:
Heavenly Father
Thank you for praying with me and for me.
Remove these feelings of imperfection.
Ease my mind and replace the feelings of doubt with feelings of gratitude.
As I go through the remainder of this week, help me to stay focused on You and Your promises.
In your precious name, I pray, Amen.
Approach this week with the boldness and confidence of the mall booth workers who will take you out of your fast-paced stride to try to convince you to buy what they’re selling.