Galatians 5:22-23 Advent Devotional

Advent Devotional for Monday, December 15, 2008

Week 3: JOY

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5: 22-23

It can be so difficult to find joy in this season of joy. Everyone is telling you to be merry, to be happy, and sometimes that’s just too hard. I was 13 the first year I realized I had no Christmas spirit. Sometimes watching a particular Christmas special on TV would do it, but even that didn’t work this time. I was in such a funk. I didn’t know what to do. The more I thought about it, the worse it got.

Since then, I have found the perfect remedy for this pathetic winter disease! The cure was handed to me by a dear neighbor. Mrs. Gregg organized a caroling party. She gathered us all at her house and we went up and down the street stopping to sing at each house. (We were even careful to sing “Jingle Bells” at the home of our only Jewish neighbors.) Then we went back to the Greggs’ house for red velvet cake and cookies and cocoa. I felt so much better! My problem was paying too much attention to me, to my feelings. I needed to think about what I could do to bring Christmas to someone else.

And then there was the hard part: taking that home. But somehow it was easier to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithful, gentle and in control of myself after spending the evening with my neighbors, reaching out to them with joy.

Lord, help me to remember that this is your party and I am an invited guest. Help me to remember to reach out in joy to these others you also love. Remind me that joy is a beautiful virus that needs to be spread far and wide!

By Ann Klonowski, Theology Teacher