Devotion: Created to Choose Joy

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100 NIV)

My 92-year-old grandmother, who has early-stage dementia, has a tendency to demand that I do things for her immediately and then, instead of being appreciative when I do them, continue to complain that what I have done is not good enough. (I also have a couple of young children who sometimes act like this.)

It breaks my heart that my grandma constantly struggles with contentment. She tends to lack both gratitude and patience, and therefore, has a habit of choosing bitterness and anger over joy. Dementia has only magnified the grief and resentment that frequently rule her heart.

This makes it very difficult to be around her at times, but the truth is, I often do the same thing with my primary caregiver, my Creator. I have asked God for things and then questioned or criticized his timing and provision when his blessings didn’t fit neatly into my vision or schedule. I have often been too focused on myself, or a difficult situation like caregiving, to see his goodness right in front of me.

God has a proven track record of faithfulness that transcends every location and generation. From Adam and Eve to today and beyond, he is with us, in us, and for us. God wants us to worship him, to “enter his gates with thanksgiving,” with the entirety of our mind, body, and spirit.

He desires for every person in every land and every age to grab hold of his goodness–to experience the steadfastness of his love through knowing his character and through experiencing his creation.

He wants us to embrace and enjoy what he has made for us all the way to heaven.

[Tweet “The only way to embrace and enjoy his creation is to imitate his faithfulness.”]

The only way to embrace and enjoy his creation is to imitate his faithfulness–in word, deed, and thought. Living into his promises means walking in step with him. It means regularly participating in a community of believers and meditating on his commands.

In every painful or difficult circumstance, it means choosing joy.

Father, thank you for creating us to choose joy. Please give me a heart of gratitude as I seek more of you and less of me. Show me your goodness right in front of me each day. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Reach for More

Think about ways you have been doubting God’s faithfulness, and ask him for forgiveness. Find practical ways to focus on his goodness and meditate on his promises each day, like dry erase notes on your bathroom mirror or chalkboard notes in your kitchen, note cards in your car, or sticky notes on your computer monitor. Share your gratitude on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore.

Lauren Flake writes about her journey as a wife, mom to two little girls and Alzheimer’s daughter in her native Austin, Texas, at For the Love of Dixie. Her first book, Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go? was published in 2016. She thrives on green tea, Tex-Mex and all things turquoise.

Photograph © Allef Vinicius, used with permission