The writer of Hebrews claimed that Jesus endured the cross for the JOY set before him (Hebrews 12:2). This one change in perspective can stimulate our gratitude and enhance our self-esteem.
What are you enduring for the sake of joy? Marriage can be challenging, but we persevere for the sake of joy. Parenting young children can be exhausting, but we press on for the sake of joy. Taking care of the infirmed can be difficult, but we persist for the sake of joy.
Sometimes when things get rough we are tempted to see ourselves as suffering victims of our circumstances. In those moments we may wish for things to change. Transformation occurs when we recognize the gift in each moment and ask for our perspective to change, rather than the situation. Then the JOY is revealed.
I would not trade one moment of heartache in my marriage if it meant that I had to give up the joy that I experience with my spouse. All those days of fatigue when my sons were young are so worth the joy I feel in their presence. Likewise, the stress of navigating illness with a loved one cannot compare to the satisfaction of knowing the job well-done.
Replacing the victim narrative with gratitude for the myriad of opportunities that life presents reveals JOY. May we meet today with open eyes to the gifts that abound as we exchange “What about me?” for “Thank you.”