We each carry a flame that we either feed or let die out. When I find myself trudging through life as a whimpering gasping flicker, without a breeze fanning my embers and no wind beneath my wings, it's time for deliberate measures. That's when I make the heavenly 911 call for a little CPR that breaths life back into the dry places and leads me onto the path of joy and a passion filled heart.
I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to overflow with passion. I want to be someone who can’t contain themselves, but, joyfully runs out to share my joy where ever I go. However, some of our lives, become so routine and passionless, that we wearily go through the motions of our daily activities forgetting the power available resident within us. Is your life a testimony, a miserymony?
Joy keeps our flame alive. If we neglect to listen to the place of authentic joy within us we will wonder away from the path that leads to life and joy. When ever I’ve wondered off the joy filled path and I am seeking the road back, I first:
Evaluate whether I've gotten caught up taking care of everyone else’s desires and left mine out in the alley.
Secondly, I evaluate if I have given room in my life for my natural heart led, God given bent, the things that intrinsically flow from my life, and release joy.
Thirdly, I give myself a joy assignment. I sprinkle fun throughout my calendar; be it a walk in the park, an ice cream cone in February, a lunch with a windy friend, a much needed date with my husband, care for the needy, or smell-good-flowers on my table. These are just little things that stir my heart to joy and counter any stuffy pretensions that might be tripping me up.
Sometimes we need to stand back and get the big picture. Are we more productive, leading a life of excellence when we are depressed, oppressed and squeezed into a tight rigid box, or when we are joy filled and bright-eyed? My energy is boundless when my joy is released.
When we are truly on our path, joy won’t be an after thought. It will be what announces itself as we enter a room. So if you are wondering why your joy has disintegrated, check for telltale signs. When was the last time you made a date with joy, prioritizing your schedule to allow for fun? Are you making room for the things that make your heart sing?
We bring a lot more to the world when our hearts are aflame and we are walking in joy! If you truly want to be happy, no one can stop you. So let me ask you, are you a flicker or a flame?
