Searching for Joy

Caroline Godin reflects on finding true joy in her faith that the Lord will bring her through difficult times. 

The Week of Joy 

It’s nearly Christmas and we’re in the week of joy. The third week of Advent is all about joy as it starts with lighting the pink candle for Gaudete Sunday. This year has been a little more challenging to find joy. 

Between financial stress, career changes (or losses), parental needs, and kids’ needs, I could use some joy, but it’s not manifesting on its own. It took all the energy I could muster—which wasn’t much—to clean the living room enough to put up a tree. 

Making Room for Joy 

We do an annual cleanout of toys and books and things so there’s room for new toys. Sometimes it works; sometimes not so much. The funny thing is that this year, my teens held sentimental value on old things, and my five-year-old was ready to pitch them. 

There was some negotiating, some slipping of things in and out of boxes, and blatant dumping into the trash by the hubby. Lovely times. We can be intense. All family members survived though, no grudges. 

Searching for Joy 

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I’ll don the socks from November through January. I’ll play Christmas music the whole time (Christian Christmas music especially). The nativity goes up the night before Advent starts and comes down after Candlemas on February 2nd. The tree doesn’t last that long, but it’s up through Epiphany. 

This year, I’m struggling. I’m tired. 

But I know the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)! I have to hold on to that. I don’t have anything to complain about. My family is well, physically. My parents are doing okay. My kids are fine. Money is… . Our faith is all that matters, right? 

The Joy in Faith 

Mary didn’t know what would happen when she told Joseph and her parents about the angel’s message. Joseph didn’t know what would happen when he listened to the angel in his dream to marry Mary. Neither of them knew what would happen as they searched for a place to stay moments before Jesus was born. 

No angel showed up to point out the manger or tell them wise men were coming or how things would work out. They needed faith in those moments. I can’t imagine how those moments felt, but maybe I can a little. I can’t imagine how it felt to hold Baby Jesus for the first time, but maybe I can a little. 

When I look at my kids, I can’t imagine God would ever abandon us. I would never abandon my children and His love is far greater than mine, so something good will come. 

The Joy in Hope 

While I waffle between freaking out and chilling out, I also waffle between prayer and work. There’s a little balance there. We need to have some concern (okay, maybe not anxiety, but some concern), or else how would we take care of the needs of our family? But we also need to have faith and hope. 

God is not the god of the dead but of the living (Matthew 22:32). He is of hope, faith, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). He desires us to come to Him in need. He will provide for us (Philippians 4:19), hear our prayers (1 John 5:14), and always be with us (Matthew 28:20). 

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As I light that pink candle, I know it’s not just a symbol from a time long ago. It’s a message, a sign, that our hope for tomorrow is for all time. #CatholicMom

By clinging to this, I cling to hope. I find joy in this hope. I find joy in my little one’s eyes as he trusts that all is well because we’re taking care of him. He trusts us and we must trust the Lord. We must find that same joy when we look to our heavenly Father. As I light that pink candle, I know it’s not just a symbol from a time long ago. It’s a message, a sign, that our hope for tomorrow is for all time. Our hope in the Lord is eternal as is His Love. 

Copyright 2023 Caroline Godin
Images: Canva