Ah! October is here, and those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying a reprieve from the heat of summer. Some of you even relish the cooler days and search out “Pumpkin Spice” EVERYTHING. Me? I get a little melancholy as I see the garden wind down and decay.
It’s nice to have a few things in the flower beds that flash out some color during these shorter days. One such plant is aptly named: the “Autumn Joy” sedum. Requiring very little care all spring and summer, it clothes itself in magnificently fluffy blooms come autumn. The Monarch butterflies in particular are drawn to the flowers, which makes this little horticultural gem even more appealing.
We have all had some challenges this year, to be sure, same as my poor neglected garden. As the Good Book says, “Joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5, NASB). The weeping part doesn’t last forever. Not even in this life, but surely not when eternity is considered.
But what is joy? Is it a feeling we get when we finally have achieved our goals? (When does THAT actually happen for most of us?) Is it a fleeting smile across our lips when we come across something we like? Oh, no. It is so much more than that. It’s really a way of life. It was listed second in the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).
Joy is with us constantly, just as the nondescript sedum lives and grows from its roots every spring and summer without putting on the vibrant show that is now finally evident this autumn. That’s not to say every moment is filled with joy, any more than the Autumn Joy sedum is a focal point in the garden at all times. But it is there as a mainstay in our hearts, ready to bloom at the appropriate time. What time is appropriate for joy to bust forth in blossom in our hearts?
Consider how the early disciples exhibited joy even under the worst of circumstances. The following passage begins with joy, continues with persecution, and ends with joy.
“When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:48-52).
If it’s tough for you to plant and cultivate true joy in your life, maybe you don’t know the source.
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:12). The Lord God is the creator, inventor, and giver of true and lasting joy. It comes from salvation from our sins and the consequences of them. Give joy a place in your life!