Do you ever wake up and feel joyless?

Do you ever wake up feeling joyless? Maybe there’s a meeting you're nervous about, or a shift is coming up soon, and you can feel it in your stomach, or maybe life has become so routine that few exciting things end up on the calendar. If that’s you on occasion, you’re not alone.

I woke up this hot July morning with a bit of dread surrounding my day. There’s nothing crazy going on, but a lot of my days have involved  staring at a screen and sitting down for a while… not my two top favorite things haha. As I sat up in bed, there was this nudge from the Lord to not be discouraged. I was a bit reluctant, but He reminded me that I can find Him all throughout my day if I just seek Him. 

Often the seemingly dull days can lead us into a place of hopelessness where joy seems distant. We all love laughing with people who love us, eating a good, hearty meal after a long day,  and having a slow morning where there is little rush. I personally love socializing and being active throughout my entire day. There is such beauty in the simplicity of not having to rush around and “be” this and “do” that. The reality is, though, that God has called us to be His. He has called us to walk as He walked. That often means doing things and going places that don’t thrill us.  

Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Isn’t this just absolutely awesome? God desires for us to ABOUND in hope so that we might have all joy and peace in Him. Abound means to exist in a large amount. God is a God of hope, not hopelessness. He longs for us to wake and find hope for our day in who He is and what He has given us.

May we rise in the mornings, no matter the chaos, busyness, or hard conversations and choose joy. God wants to reveal Himself to us in the little things. He wants to hear about our struggles, questions, and worries. Most of all, He wants to speak into those places of pain and fill them with His joy. He will do it over and over and over again. 

I am praying that you, friend, would experience the joy that comes from knowing you were once dead, but now you have been made alive in Christ. If nothing else, there is joy in how you have been–or can be– redeemed, forever and ever!

This is good news. May your joy abound in Christ today.

• Kate :)