Complete Joy

Photo credit: Free-images.com

For our Christmas present, our daughter and son-in-law put together a ‘Surprise Pre-Planned Road Trip.’ One day this summer Ted and I will get to “explore a new area, and the work is already done for you to hit great spots!” We’ve been given several sealed sheets of written instructions, to be opened one at a time, that will take us to a number of interesting locations. We don’t know yet where each stop will be – we don’t even know the final destination! If we follow the directions as prepared, they’ll lead us to a day’s worth of fun. We could, of course, ignore all the instructions and just go our own way. But Theresa and Andrew picked this trip specifically for us, and so we’ll trust those directions and be open to the adventure that awaits!

Christ has given us instructions, too. Not for a road trip but for life. He’s given us directions on how to find what our hearts long for most of all: love, peace, and joy. His joy. He’s told us that, if we learn to trust Him and listen to Him speak to us through Scripture, through our spiritual leaders, and through each other, His Way will lead us to our deepest joy. 

And what is His Way? 

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).”

He makes it sound so simple! However, we know from experience that it’s not easy. We often ignore His instructions and try to find joy our own way. This may lead to happiness, but that happiness is fleeting. Christ’s directions for His joy are clear: First, love God above all else; make time to talk to Him and listen to Him in prayer; open our minds and hearts to what He wants to teach us; strive to do His will in all circumstances. Second, love our neighbors as ourselves, including those neighbors we find difficult to love; reach out to them in service; give to them as we would want them to give to us. This is His Way.

 

Let’s start this journey with the Lord today. Let’s open our hearts to Him, love Him, and learn to trust Him. Let’s follow His directions for loving and serving others. When we do these things, we’ll find the deep, peaceful, and complete joy our hearts are longing for. We’ll find His joy.

“If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” – John 15:10-12 

Let all I do be with You, for You, and because of You.

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

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P.S.

Pray for peace at home and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the people around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.