What's in Your Joy Sandwich?

As we look back on 2021, a year that brought some return to normality from 2020 but not as much as most of us would like, I look around and see that we as a people are still craving joy. While we’ve had moments this year of joyful reprieve, and we’ve been able to reestablish relationships, and we’ve had more hugs and human connection—still joy seems fleeting as we awaken each morning to new sad or difficult realities.

I have a confession to make. I struggle with finding daily joy as often as most people. Despite the fact that I know I need to seek joy, and I know how to look for it, joy still can elude me. 

I have also heard the cry for more joy from all sorts of places—TV shows, songs, marketing emails, ads. Even the world seems to know on some level that the joy we all need is not found in all our material stuff and our circumstances.  (Hence the beauty of, and need for Joyopolis.)

As we’ve all been searching for a little more true, real joy, I found a little Bible verse that opened my eyes recently. It simply says this: “Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.” Or in another version: “Let joy be your continual feast. Make your life a prayer. And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.”*

Three steps:

1. Fill up with joy. (I love that it says we should “feast” on joy—in other words, we can’t get enough of it!)

2. Pray all the time.

3. Be thankful even in the middle of hard things. (The editor in me realizes it says “in” our circumstances, not necessarily “for” our circumstances. Think on that.)

I realized it’s like a sandwich. Joy and gratitude are the bread, but what holds those two together? Prayer. Staying in contact with our Creator God. Not running away from talking with the one who knows us better than we know ourselves.

When we stay grounded in our faith and relationship with God, I believe we will find it more natural to be thankful and to find joy—real joy.

What’s in the middle of your joy sandwich?

*1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ERV and TPT)