First Baptist Church of Herndon

Oh, joy!

Linda Soller | Dec 29, 2014

Well, you did it. You survived the Christmas rush, the social activities, the office parties, the rotten weather, and a few odd gifts that you can’t quite explain. You no longer feel bad that Aunt Mabel didn’t like your gift and proceeded to tell everyone that only a crazy person would think she could wear that shade of green. You have decided not to look at your checking account, and figure if the bank has concerns they know where to find you. Your temporary wrapping station in the middle of the family room is now your temporary recycling center. It’s amazing to think it’s over, it went so fast, yet every now and then you find yourself checking your “to do list” to be sure nothing was forgotten. You have officially entered recovery, the days directly after Christmas and before New Year’s Eve. It’s too soon to really say how long a full recovery will take. If you are a party animal and have big plans for New Year’s Eve you will suffer a setback, no doubt, but eventually you will recover, I promise.

So if you are in recovery what is this feeling you have? You know that feeling somewhere between being so tired you can’t move from the couch, and wishing you could give Aunt Mabel another hug. It can be a confusing feeling, a touch unsettling. I think the feeling is joy. Not the oh joy we say when we are told we’ve been elected to clear the table after Christmas dinner, and not the oh joy you scream as you jump up and down when your white elephant gift turns out to be a Starbucks card instead of a rubber chicken. I mean real joy, that feeling of satisfaction, comfort, and well, calm. Rick Warren, in his blog referred to joy as a “quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright.” The dictionary says it is delight, pleasure, and triumph. You are sitting here reading this blog so you did triumph, even if you’re not convinced.

At Christmas we know we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but the familiar story is really only the staging for the message we need to hear. The angel tells us in Luke 2: 10-11, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” There is no mention of trees, or gifts, or parties, or men in red suits, but specifically tidings of great joy. We are to get joy from our Savior’s birth, from the knowledge he was sent for all people. All people includes you on the couch, the neighbor with the loud dog down the street, the guy in the car that cut you off and got the best parking spot at the mall, and the banker who just left you a voice mail about your overdraft. Sometimes it’s hard to think of joy and salvation on such a scale, but that is what your time in recovery is for. This is time for you to think of the joy, to breath in the calm, and to focus on the salvation. You have bravely participated in the celebration and now as you recover you need to participate in the joy. You’re about to embark on a new year in your life. You will face challenges, hardships, successes, failures, and so much more. It will be a year like no other, but then no two are ever really the same. What will you do with your year? How will your recovery set the tone for going forward? Life can be so much better if you focus on the angels’ message of joy and announcement of the birth of our Savior. 

So make the most of your recovery. And when your friend, or spouse, or child walks up to you on the couch and asks, “What are you thinking about that makes you smile?” You can simply say, oh, joy!

Have great week and a Happy New Year filled with joy!  :o)    Linda