April 7 – Find What Brings You Joy! Philippians 3:4b-14
Someone recently gifted me a journal engraved with the title, “Find What Brings You Joy and Go There.” What a powerful sentiment, I thought as I put the journal on the bookcase beside my other notebooks, ledgers, and binders. You see, I have been keeping journals for the better part of 70 years. I have been committing my thoughts to paper and examining every aspect of my circumstance throughout my life. It’s helped me to sort things out and put things in their proper perspective.
Those journals have served as vessels for my growth and development. I’ve poured onto those pages things that only my journals could bear to hear. The very act of excavating my anguish forced me to see things in a new light. And with each revelation, I was able to see a bit farther down the road. With every entry, I was able to learn and grow – to figure things out. It has helped me test some hypotheses – you know, like the Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians: Test everything; hold onto that which is good. And after I dumped it all in the journal, I took it to the Lord in prayer.
In conclusion, journaling has helped me take back my joy and reestablish my peace. It has helped me identify the source of all that is good and perfect. So, I offer you this advice: Find what brings you spiritual joy, and go there!