From Where Comes My Joy

This morning's reading in my Mother Angelica's Pithy Lessons from Scripture book was based on John 16:21-22. Jesus likens his approaching departure with childbirth: a mother suffers for a bit and than is filled with joy because her child is with her, born. Mother Angelica meditated on joy and the difference between it and happiness. What struck me was this:

Look, you can always do better, but to be satisfied with what God is doing in your life, that brings joy. (emphasis mine).

I can work to be a better cook, exercise more, pray more, read more, do more...but still be empty. When I raise my hands in surrender and say, "Not my will, but Thy will," I am depending on His work, not mine. His work is complete. It satisfies. It does the job. True contentment comes when I surrender, when I allow His work in and through me to complete me. This is a life-learning lesson. Embracing it is the beginning of that lesson, realizing it's not my work but what He's done that brings salvation. I will continually be dissatisfied if I rely on my work to fill me with happiness, joy and purpose. Resting on my laurels is not an adequate goal. And God knows me best, He knows my circumstances, my relations, my past, present and future. Resting in Him and trusting in what He is doing in my life - that is where I find joy.