There are seasons of our collective lives when we realize that it is all just a bit too much. Right now, there is a bit too much stress, there is a bit too much negativity, there is a bit too much polarization. And surely, this is a product of our life politic. We are surrounded by messages telling us we must think in a certain way. It tells us who we should be mad at, what we should be afraid of, and who then we should put into power.
If we live our lives oriented towards the Holy Spirit, we will recognize that fear and manipulation are tools of the very power structure that Jesus came to flip on its head. We are looking for the fruits of the Spirit, in our actions, and in the actions of those we wish to align ourselves with. And what are those? From Galatians 5:22-23 the list says they are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
To cultivate these fruits this season, you may need to do a few things, like muting the commercials and turning off the 24-hour news cycle. And recognize that you may be feeling some kind of way about the state of the world, about your own life, your own health, your relationships. But rather than giving in to the pain, rather than surrendering yourself and handing your power over to the pain, become a revolutionary. Joy can be a revolutionary act in the face of despair. Give yourself permission to recognize its fingerprints and hold onto it, even if it’s momentary.
When you finally realize that joy
is less fireworks
more firefly
less orchestra
more birdsong
she will come back much more often
for joy will not fight
with the fast pace of this life
she is not in the shiny or the new
she breathes in the basic
shimmers in the simple
and dances in the daily to and fro
joy has been beckoning you
for many a year my friend
you were just too busy doing, to see
the very next time joy wraps
her quiet warmth around you
as the garden embraces your weary body
in its wildness
tip her a nod
you cannot force her to stay
but if you are a gracious host
joy comes back.
Donna Ashworth