5 Keys to Unlock Joy This Week

So, we’re stuck in Vegas. Yup. You read that right. Steve and I are driving back to Colorado from California. Yesterday, the air conditioning went out in our car. We were inconvenienced but thought, “Well, maybe we’re just supposed to drive through the desert with our windows down.” But, at the insistence of our son, we stopped at a mechanic in Vegas to have the car checked out. A half an hour later the mechanic said, “Get a hotel, you’re not going anywhere.” Apparently, the radiator had a hole and if we had driven it further we would have been stuck in the desert. I’ve got to be honest. Neither of us was particularly happy with this news. So here we are in Vegas until our car is drivable.

All of this has me thinking about joy. What are the keys to authentic joy in the middle of inconvenient and unexpected circumstances?

Psalm 105: 1-5 says, “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength: seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles.” Tucked in these verses I see 5 keys to joy even when life doesn’t quite go the way you planned.

1. Declare His name. When you don’t know what to do, remember God is for you. Rather than going in the tank emotionally, declare His name over your circumstances. Yesterday, as we were debating about what to do, I was praying, Lord your name is wisdom and you promise to give wisdom to those who ask. Please Lord show us if we should keep driving. Clearly, God answered!
2. Look For the Story. The Psalmist writes that we are to, “Make known what He has done”. We can’t have any great stories of what God’s done unless we experience a little inconvenience. Right? Life’s most inconvenient moments make wonderful stories of God’s faithfulness and provision. So, when life falls apart, look for God’s provision. Watch and see how He will provide, financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Be alert to the story He is unfolding.
3. Sing to Him. Singing and praising God lifts your spirits and turns your eyes to the greatness of God. Early this morning, I got our praise music going and immediately, I felt the presence of God in our hotel room. Praise changes the atmosphere and your attitude.
4. Find your Strength in Him. There are moments when life pushes you to your limit. God however is unlimited. He can provide the strength that you are lacking. He promises that in our weariness, He provides strength. When you face difficulties this week, turn to Him for strength and praise Him in advance for the strength He will provide.
5. Remember what God has done in the past. Yesterday, when we realized we were stick and were going to have to pay a lot of money to have our car fixed, my mind remembered another time years ago when we had an emergency on a freeway and God provided. Remembering what He’s done in the past fuels your faith for today.

This week, you might face some unexpected or inconvenient circumstances. Try a few of these keys and see if you don’t unlock joy. Life’s an adventure. Life’s most inconvenient moments make wonderful stories of God’s faithfulness and provision. I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell me when has an inconvenience been turned into joy for you?