Our days are filled with much heartache and grief. There’s misery at every turn and it’s hard not to give into the pervasive despair around us. Joy is available, but it must be fought for.
On any given day, our news feeds are filled with stories highlighting the brokenness of humanity. Many things are not as they should be.
We see political discord and families ripped apart by sin, cancer that leaves bodies plagued with pain and tragic accidents on our streets. And death is no respecter of persons – stealing life even from the young.
The daily sorrow we’re exposed to eventually takes a toll on our soul. And we soon start to view life through the lens of negative expectations.
But even in the midst of tremendous heartache and pain, a sober joy is available.
But we must actively cultivate joy even when it’s tempting to consume all the negativity around us.
We fight for joy in part by intentionally filtering what we consume.
As much as we want to be informed citizens and care for our neighbors in need, it does us little good to consume the countless stories of pain and suffering around us. Our souls were never meant to process such daily suffering on a global scale.
Joy is spread by regularly taking in stories that highlight the best of humanity. We train our eyes to see such goodness and, in turn, inspire each other toward our best selves.
We must also practice joy in order for it to grow.
For example, carving out time with friends, enjoying personal hobbies, playing with our kids, or simply indulging in some good food and music.
Courageously face the many sorrows that will come. And fight for joy all the same.
Photo by Akshar Dave on Unsplash
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