The Tooth Fairy or the Holy Spirit?

Joy Elben is a gifted interior designer and writer who battles physical issues with grace and joy. In this Joy UPGRADE, she reminds us there is real joy that is solid and secure—not from circumstances, but from the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

“Joy can feel like an ever-elusive concept, like the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny or the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” she said.

“We quest after, wish for, and chase down the peace and contentment that it brings.”

Oh, I (Dawn) have been down that elusive trail to happiness, and it does not compare to the joy I have now. Joy explains this so well.

Joy continues . . .

If joy, by its very definition, is characterized by great pleasure and happiness, well-being and delight, then it stands to reason that we want to be in pursuit of such a trait.

Honestly now, we all desire that. I know that I do!

While writing for an upcoming publication a few years ago, I asked my husband to play a quick word association game with me. I would say a word and he would tell me the word that came immediately to mind. For example: milk and cookies or peanut butter and jelly.

When I produced the word “identity,” the first word that came to his mind was “theft.”

I laughed because I was certain that as a seasoned pastor, he would share some deep insightful anecdotes on which I could elaborate. Instead, I received an image of an RIFD* wallet meant to ward off identity theft.

I then came to love the idea.

In September of 2019, our family was gifted the opportunity to go to the Middle East on a mission/humanitarian trip, and the first thing I did was buy an RFID cover for our passports.

It was made apparent to us that identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world, and in a moment, can devastatingly damage, if not ruin, your credit and sense of security.

It can take years to recover and restore what had always belonged to you in the first place.

Think about it, the enemy would love nothing more than to steal from us the joy of an identity rooted in who we are as a child of God.

Just as a thief stealthily comes to steal your identity replacing it with another, so the Deceiver will try to replace the truth that you are eternally whole and secure with the lie that you need to look for significance or individuality in temporal trappings.

The Bible is in fact our RFID protection against such robbery.

It is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of Truth. It is there to remind you of who you are; thus, being the ultimate protection from identity theft.

When we know Whose we are, our joy is secure.

Joy is different than happiness.

The world would have us on an endless search for the next thing that will fulfill our longing for contentment.

Fundamentally, however, we all know that feelings of happiness can be elusive and fleeting. They dissipate like the fog as the sun beats down upon the beach in the heat of the day. It’s gone just as surely as it was there, but the biblical definition of joy goes so much deeper than that.

What is True, Biblical Joy?

1. True, Biblical Joy Comes from the Holy Spirit.

You will find that biblical joy can be a contstant and non-transient companion through the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

How sweet it is to know that joy, because it is a fruit of the spirit, is a natural manifestation of the Holy Spirit in me:

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy . . . . (Galatians 5:22).

It isn’t up to me to conjure up a feeling of happiness, but rather it is a result of walking with the Lord and growing in my faith.

2. True, Biblical Joy Is Grounded in the God of Hope.

True joy has staying power that can abide through the harshest of rays and the darkest of days because it is grounded in the assurance that Jesus is our source of joy, peace, hope, and confidence, as seen in Romans 15:13:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3. True, Biblical Joy Carries Us Through Difficulties.

The God of the universe is our rock and salvation. Due to this truth, we can live in an abiding state of joy despite experiencing legitimate and deep sorrow or uncertainty in our circumstances and trials.

The writer of Psalms knew the reality of this truth as he penned:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:1).

I surely look forward to the “forevermore” promised in the Psalms, but for now I rest in His faithfulness, knowing that He knows what is best and can be trusted with life’s unknowns.

Joy in the Lord is greater than anything the world can offer.

Are you searching for your source of joy and strength outside of the standard of the character of Jesus? If so, take a moment to examine what you are trying to control. Can you visualize yourself handing your circumstances over to God?

Joy Elben, born and raised in sunny, San Diego, California, grew up at and later served at Shadow Mountain Community Church and Turning Point Ministries. She then journeyed alongside her husband to Forest Home Christian Camps, in the picturesque setting of Ojai, California. After two years in this beautiful setting Joy and her family relocated to Georgia and learned a new normal in the sweet, South. Joy has enjoyed speaking opportunities throughout the US and the Middle East. Joy and family currently reside in Southern California. Joy is a pastor's wife, adoptive mom, foster parent, enthusiastic traveler, writer, artist, graphic designer and owner of Joy Elben Design.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Anastasiya Babienko at Pixabay.

* RFID means "radio frequency identification," a form of wireless communication.

Upgrade Anxiety to Excitement in 4 Steps

Joanie Shawhan is a "choosing joy" sort of person, despite some tough circumstances she has faced. In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, she helps us choose a positive, godly attitude over one that can be debilitating.

"My heart raced," Joanie said. "Why was I dreading what should have been a fun celebration?"

Joanie Shawhan has been on one of my (Dawn's) big encouragers in a cancer journey, often challenging me to turn my fearful thoughts into faith, and my anxious thoughts to joy. So I'm excited to read her four steps to "upgrading" anxiety into excitement—and I hope you will be too.

So practical. So real.

Joanie continues . . .

Several months ago, my book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, was released. With a friend’s help, I organized a book launch party in my home. We prayed, planned, and prepared. Every detail had been taken into account.

But when the morning arrived, I felt anxious, devastated, and drained.

What happened?

First, Mother Nature had overstepped her boundaries.

I was sure by the end of April we would’ve accelerated into spring with any significant snowfall relegated to the rear. But I was wrong! Instead, a massive snow band hovered over the highways my guests would be traveling. The swath shifted every few hours with predictions ranging from a dusting to eight inches.

Several out-of-town visitors cancelled. Would my only guests be my faithful helpers? I feared my launch party would flop.

Desperate, I cried out to God.

Suddenly I experienced an aha moment—sometimes anxiety and excitement can produce similar physiological responses!

The same sensations I was experiencing: accelerated heart rate, rapid shallow breaths, trembling, muscle tension, and butterflies in the stomach can be caused by either anxiety or excitement.

But I was so familiar with these sensations that for me they signaled only anxiety. I had never associated these physical manifestations with excitement.

Would I allow anxiety to rob me of the excitement and joy of celebrating my book release?

I realized I needed to CHOOSE EXCITEMENT.

That’s when I felt the Lord whisper, “Rejoice!”

In anticipation of fun events and celebrations, how do we switch our thought tracks from anxiety to excitement?

Here are a few ideas.

1. Ask God to help us recognize the presence of anxiety.

Sometimes we become so familiar with an emotion or emotional response that we fail to recognize the source of that vague sense of unease or apprehension.

We need to identify our feelings and the lies we believe about our situation in order to respond appropriately.                                                                                    

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23 NIV).

2. Discern if the emotional response is appropriate for the situation.

Since anxiety and excitement can produce similar physical cues, we must determine if the situation is a real or imagined threat.

Anxiety can take us on an imaginary train ride of numerous what-ifs that never happen, derailing our strength and joy.

We need to rein in our runaway thoughts.                                                        

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

3. Pray with thanksgiving.

Thanking God changes our focus from our problem to the loving God who cares for us.

I had much to be thankful for. The book I had labored over for years was finally in print. I had prayed and placed the details of my book launch party in the capable hands of God and many friends.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

4. Choose excitement.

I chose to use the emotions I associated with anxiety—my racing heart, quivering stomach, and chest tightness—to fuel excitement instead of anxiety.

This choice immediately changed my perspective.

A new joy and strength surged through my body and emotions. I was excited about my party.                                                                              

Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! (Nehemiah 8:10 NLT)

Rejoicing and choosing excitement over anxiety changed me as well as the atmosphere of my book launch party. Despite the threats of snow, I welcomed a house full of guests. I enjoyed their company, signed books, and gave away fun door prizes.

I felt energized, excited, and joyful.

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24 NKJV).

How do you upgrade when anxiety attempts to rob your joy?

Joanie Shawhan is an ovarian cancer survivor, registered nurse and author of In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer. She has been a featured guest on podcasts, radio, and television. You can find her media interviews, blog, speaker topics, and contact information at www.joanieshawhan.com. Her book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, is available at Amazon.  

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay.