THE JOURNEY OF JOY

Our mouths were filled with LAUGHTER, our tongues with SONGS of JOY. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them – Psalm 126:2 (NIV)

For fifty years the Israelites had a recurring dream; a dream of going home to Jerusalem. They had been held captive in Babylon, not allowed to return to the place where they had raised their children, worked the land, sold their wares, buried their loved ones and worshiped their God. Then, their dreams of going home came true, and their mouths were filled with laughter and their tongues with songs of joy!

The trip home was treacherous, but in hind sight, it prepared them to wake from their dream and face reality. When they got home there was nothing left standing: homes destroyed; farmlands full of debris. The Temple had been ransacked, toppled and burned. The aftermath of the homecoming was nothing like what they had dreamed of. Over time and with diligence and persistence however, the Israelites rebuilt their lives and their Temple. Their Joy was restored. The Journey of Joy was not truncated or terminated. Sometimes the ‘homecomings’ we dream of aren't what we hoped they’d be. Even if our lives aren't what we dreamed they would be, we must never succumb to depression or regret.

Are you living the life of your dreams? Or are you merely realizing portions of your dreams? People who realize their dreams give others hope and inspiration. Although the world needs such people, lives often take unexpected turns: pregnancies miscarry, children make poor choices, friends embrace and exit, jobs are lost, contracts are cancelled, sicknesses appear, aging sets in, and loved ones die. None of these is strong enough to truncate the journey of joy!

What we must do if life takes an unexpected turn is to TURN TO GOD. Israel prayed: “restore our fortunes, Lord,… those who sow in tears reap with songs of joy” (vs. 4-5, NIV). Happiness is dependent on happenings; but JOY is more than an event. JOY comes with the JOURNEY, irrespective of the events on the way. The race may be more of a marathon than a sprint; what is important is for your Journey of Joy not to be truncated or terminated! Ultimately, all things will work together for your good if you love God and are abiding in His purpose (Rom.8:28).