Finding Joy

Scripture:
Psalm 100 (NASB)

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His loving kindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

Devotional:

One of my current struggles is seeking joy in my current job.  I know God has placed me where I am at.  I know I am currently where He wants me to be.  Yet at the same time I am letting current circumstances bring me down.  My focus seems to be on the negative, or things I don’t like.  I see all the bad and little of the good.  I think what is wrong with me, I am supposed to be joyful and serve God with gladness.

In an attempt to turn things around I start to list all the positive or good things about my job.  I think how thankful I am to have a job.  I am able to pay the bills.  There are attributes in my job that are not so bad.  I can have a huge impact for God where I am working.  This seems to work for a while, and then I start slumming again.

What went wrong?  Why can’t I maintain the joy I know I should have?  A simple answer that can also be hard when surrounded with worldly views.  I need to shift my focus.  I am focusing on worldly views.  I focus on my circumstances.  I focus on how I can change things.  

My focus is not where it should be.  I need to shift, and keep, my focus on God.  God is faithful.  He will never forsake us.  God is loving, kind, and very merciful.  I find when I do focus on Him all the other stuff doesn’t seem to matter so much.  It isn’t what is going on around me or what can I do to change it.  There comes an acceptance, I am where He wants me.  He is with me and will protect, guide, and provide.  When my focus is on Christ those things that get me down do not seem so bad.  The good in where I am easily surface.  Then true joy in where I am springs forth.