Joy is a funny word. Oftentimes it gets lumped into the same category with its definition being the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.
However, Christian joy, the one we focus on especially during the season of Advent, goes deeper than just an emotion from the things that we have. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is comforting, full of peace, and a very natural part of the Christian faith and obedience to the Father. Chris Stefanik writes that “Joy is God’s dream for you.” Wow. Our Lord adn Savior wants this for us deeply. And yet, often times, this joy is hard to find in ourselves adn the world around us.
During the season of Advent, we as Catholics specifically prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord and one of the key ingredients to do that is with…you guessed it, JOY!
Here are a three simple tips and tricks to help you add more joy into your life:
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- Gratitude: begin and end your day with thanksgiving and praise to God. We highly encourage you to write them down. There is science and tangibility to putting pencil on paper and being able to refer back to the moments that you are grateful for. Snag our Be Still journal or use the Daily Examen journal to capture those moments of gratitude, thus increasing joy.
- Silence: What a concept. For those of us with littles, computer work, radios, televisions, social media, or any other stimulus that demands your attention, this one can be tough. Maybe this Advent season, set your alarm fifteen minutes earlier to give yourself some quiet time before the children wake up. Or, limit your screen time by only using social on the computer, or turn off the music during a car ride. We are inundated by noise, much bad, some good but the noise can lead us away from obtaining joy.
- Serve: serving others around us is fundamental to not only building the Body of Christ but also for giving yourself the opportunity to experience joy. While some serving may look different depending on the seasons in your life, having a joyful heart and working towards the good of another is a beautiful opportunity to grow in joy.
Here at The Little Rose Shop we want to bring faith into everyday life. We pray that this Advent season is full of blessings and especially a blessing for you experiencing joy in this season, and all of the others.
*Tips and tricks for joy are adapted from Catholic speaker and author, Chris Stefanick. Living Joy: 9 Rules that will change your life. Accessed 11/29/23.
