JOY Daily Devotional: Advent 3 – Dec 16

December 16: Joy in the Journey

• Scripture: James 1:2 — My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy.
• Meditation: Even challenges can bring joy when seen as opportunities for growth. Humans are psychologically, emotionally and spiritually capable of gratitude and resilience, which are contributors to our ability to experience joy, even in tough times. Sometimes people describe the discovery of joy in the midst of hard times as a positive lesson we take away from times of trial and tribulation.
  Additionally, joy is present throughout our journeys, including small, daily moments. Writer Kelly Barron “Finding joy in our daily routines makes it far more accessible and creates a positive feedback loop. The more we attend to joy in the ordinary moments of our lives, the more we experience it, and the more joyous we become.”
• Spiritual Guide: Barron recommends, “Sometimes, finding joy is as simple as noticing what’s not wrong. In the wild swings between pleasant and unpleasant, we often neglect the contentment of the neutral middle.” What is going right, or what elements of your life are stable and calm, contributing to long-term equilibrium, fostering our capacity to find small moments of joy? Name a few of those things that are going right. Are they connected, in any way, to times you identify as joyful?

SONGS:

• Joy in the Morning by Tauren Wells: https://youtu.be/-0NLneSBJg4?si=ZzDZ4zJXNlXu_4Hh

For Presence by John O’Donohue
Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path.
Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.