On Bubbling, Unquenchable, [revolutionary] Joy.

goodnight, Paris.

I’ve noticed a tendency in people of my generation (and often in myself as well) to be on a quest for happiness. We are far too inclined to look for happiness in other people, in a relationship.

We too often base our own worth, value, and happiness upon whether or not someone likes us, approves of us, chooses us.

None of that matters.

Your value is not dependent upon what people think of you.

Don’t use other people as a gauge for determining your happiness.

If you want to have real joy; unquenchable, bubbling joy—it has to come from a real, unquenchable, bubbling source.

People are finite. People are quenchable. People don’t always bubble.

So to think or expect that your own happiness is dependent upon how someone else feels about you, what they think about you, or if they approve of you, is to guarantee yourself unhappiness.

Recently, a friend asked me “what do you want?” My gut reaction in my mind was to say, “to be happy.”

But I want more than that. I want depth. I want to have more joy. Simply “being happy” isn’t enough. But I know depth can be hard; it can be painful.

But when I allow those dark/scary/hurting places to be loved and brought to light and truth is spoken into those situations, change is possible. Revelation of truth brings about change—the kind of change that is revolutionary in a person’s life.

Change that is far more revolutionary than mere happiness can bring.

When my heart changes in that way, I am able to honestly declare, “I have joy.” When everything around me may make for a crappy situation, happiness might not abound. I won’t always say, “I am happy,” because life happens. Life is hard—with all its disease, sickness, sin, anger, lies, broken families, and unemployment. The world isn’t perfect.

But my God is.

His love is perfect.

I’ve already been chosen. He has already proven that I matter. He has already demonstrated how much value I have. I am already loved.

You are already loved.

When the revelation of the truth of that love shines into the same crappy situation, and we allow our hearts to be changed, there is joy.