Chasin’ Joy
Lawd have mercy, Buttercup, before we done git to goin’ any further right here, take yourself a real deep breath like you’re ‘a‑tryin’ to calm down a rooster that done jus’ discovered his lil’ ol’ reflection in the tractor window. We’re about to go ‘a-wanderin’ into the wild woods of dissatisfaction. And let me be ‘a-tellin’ you, dissatisfaction can come ‘a-sneakin’ up on a person faster than a squirrel ‘a-stealin’ your hot, buttered cornbread right off your plate when you go to blinkin’ too slow at a picnic. But you jes’ hang on ‘cause the Lord has a way of ‘a-turnin’ even our most restless, fidgety hearts ‘a-twitchin’ like a squirrel that done drank too much sweet tea right into somethin’ real steady and joy-filled.
Now Psalm 4:6-8 lays it out straighter than a fence post set by your granddaddy. Folks everywhere are askin’, “Who will show us better times?” Meanwhile, the psalmist says, “Let Your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” That there’s Bible talk for, “You gotta quit lookin’ for joy in all the wrong barns.”
See here now, this here dissatisfaction is a real headwind that’ll have you ‘a-feelin’ like a smart-alec rooster who done suddenly realizes he’s been ‘a-crowin’ at the wrong time ‘a-fore sunrise. We humans are the only critters who done be ‘a-sittin’ ‘round ‘a-wonderin’ why we’re done here. Your dog’s not a‑ponderin’ on his purpose. He’s ’a-thinkin’ on two things. That’d be food an’ sleep an’ maybe three if he happens to be ‘a-spottin’ a cat.
But you and me, why, we’re done made in the image of God. We are livin’ souls, not jus’ one o’ them there barnyard bodies. We were built with a longing for somethin’ more than a directionless, ho-hum existence. And we keep ‘a‑searchin’ till we finally be discoverin’ that the “more” thing that we’re ‘a-cravin is what we can only be ‘a-findin’ in knowin’ our Creator.
Psalm 16:11 says that God shows us the way of life and grants us joy in His presence. That there means the world’s pleasures are ‘bout as satisfyin’ as feedin’ a hungry mule one oat flake at a time. But God’s joy fills you up without any o’ that there guilt, shame, or a next day headache.
Jesus done tells us in Matthew 6:33 that we’re to seek the Kingdom of God first. When we chase Him instead o’ chasin’ happiness, one day we’re ‘a-gonna be ‘a-lookin’ up and ‘a-realizin’ we’ve done become real happy people. Joy is the result of a life done lined up with God like one o’ them there rows of corn that was finally done planted real straight.
Father, be ‘a-helpin me to quit ‘a-chasin’ satisfaction in all the wrong pastures. Be ‘a-teachin’ me to be seekin’ You first, trustin’ Your plan, and restin’ in the joy only You can give. In Jesus name, Amen.
When you go to settin’ your heart toward ‘a-seekin’ God first, it’s a whole lot like ‘a-watchin’ a skittish barn cat finally git to settlin’ in your lap. It don’t happen all at once, but when it does, there’s a peace that settles deeper than a fence post done sunk down deep in good ol’ Alabama clay. The more you done lean into the Lord, the more you’ll find that joy ain’t somethin’ you chase but it’s somethin’ that done rises right up inside you like a sunrise that refuses to stay hidden. An’ as you keep ‘a-walkin’ with the Lord, you’ll start to noticin’ that them there places where dissatisfaction once was a’-nippin’ at your heels are now the very places where His goodness will go to showin’ up the loudest.
With joy,
Gwen
