Be A Tigger in an Eeyore World!
Any of you who have been following my blog know that I preach, regularly, that most things are choices. We choose what we are going to do, how we are going to do it, the attitude we are going to have, etc. Sometime it's really easy to make the right choices... other times... not so much.
I find myself, as many of you do (I'm pretty sure of this assessment), in a place of having to make the hard choice of being joyful. Why is it so hard? Because we are living in difficult times. There seems to be an overwhelming sense of sadness, unrest, oppression, disfunction, etc. everywhere we go. Things are different. We have to wear a mask everywhere we go (that is a debate all by itself; one that I am not entering into here). It seems like EVERYTHING takes longer to do. The things that we once did to pass the time we can no longer do. Yep! Everything is difficult, and it sucks - a lot. (No sense in sugar-coating it!)
Because things are so difficult, it is SUPER easy to allow ourselves to get bogged down in it all. We feel the weight of things around us - the things impacting us and our loved ones. We shoulder it all like a heavy backpack, and it's just not healthy. When we carry all of this, our spiritual, emotional, mental and physical selves are impacted. We start feeling bad, become snippy with those around us, and isolate ourselves even more than we already are. Everywhere we look things are gloomy.
It is extraordinarily easy to fall into being Eeyore, when what we need are more Tiggers!
I really started feeling the impact of all of this last week. All around me I started feeling the underlying sadness in people everywhere I went. I'm a deeply empathic person, which means - as I feel the things others are feeling I tend to carry it with them. SO... when EVERYONE I run into (friend or stranger) are feeling ALL OF THE FEELINGS, it rubs off on me. I have to be intentional about what I'm choosing to feel or I'll become bogged down quickly.
When I move into this space, what do I do?
I turn to the ONE who loves me the best, and we have a conversation. This week our conversation looked like this:
Me: Lord, what do we do when joy is elusive? What do we do when things that are supposed to be joyful are laced with sorrow? What do we do, Lord? Lord, what do we do???
The Lord: Look for Joy. Look for life. Look for beauty. THEN - allow yourself to stand in awe of it. Shift your focus. Shift your mindset. Be the change you want to see around you. Walk in that space. Be a Tigger in an Eeyore world. CHOOSE JOY!
It's funny to me that He spoke to me using Winnie the Pooh characters as an example - it is one of my least favorite children's movies because my oldest son watched in like 5,000 times (at least) when He was a toddler. I still remember ALL of the songs! But, of course, He isn't wrong. The world needs more "bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy - fun, fun, fun, fun, fun"! People need to remember how to laugh and be happy! They need us - God's kids - to remind them how, and in order for us to be able to do that we MUST CHOOSE JOY!
My husband, who has an amazing sense of humor, has this picture hanging in our bedroom. It's called "Jesus Laughing". Laughter is a part of us, so it has to be a part of Him. We are, after all, made in His image. We can't laugh were there is no JOY!
Choosing Joy is not ignoring the bad; it's letting Him handle the bad while placing our trust in HIM!
Is it easy to CHOOSE JOY when we are facing a worldwide pandemic, and all that comes along with it? NOPE! It is not easy... at all, but WE CAN DO IT!
My chat with the Lord this week took me to scriptures that talk about joy and rejoicing and delight. Here are a few of them:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 94:19
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Psalm 32:11
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then let us consider this one:
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Part of the way we are identified as Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Christ-followers is our JOY! Walking around in the same gloomy frame of mind as everyone else doesn't not set us apart. If we are reacting the same way as everyone else, are we really showing people we have something different to offer them? Are we really sharing the love of Jesus? Are we really placing our trust in Him? Thought provoking I know.
So... no... it isn't easy, and I can hear your arguments as I type this... "But Jacqui, you are telling us to ignore our feelings and how this is impacting us!" No, I'm not saying that at all. What I am saying is:
"Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!"
(1 John 4:4 - paraphrased)
You absolutely have the ability to CHOOSE JOY and to be a Tigger in an Eeyore world because of Who lives inside of you! BUT, you have to make the choice to do so. He certainly isn't going to force it on you. In the process of making the choice, ask yourself if you want to walk up and out of the gloom or stay stuck in it. It's a yucky place to be stuck.
Listen, dear ones, I know that where we are all living is tough, but we walk with One who never leaves or forsakes us. We are not without hope, and we need to remember that.
Much love.
