When I was a little kid, my mom and dad often called me their little Eeyore.
It may sound like a silly name for a kid, but to be honest, that name fit me quite well – it still does. I am intense and serious. I tend to have a little rain cloud over my head. I feel things deeply and express things deeply. I’m forgetful and often loose things (good thing I don’t actually have a tail, because I would perpetually be loosing that too). I tend to be the quiet one of the bunch and honestly, being gloomy comes quite easy to me.
Perhaps thats why I decided my One Little Word (OLW) this year should be joy.
The other day I was reading a devotional on joy and the devotional asked, when it comes to joy, which of the loveable 100 acres woods characters fits your personality, best.
[The descriptions below of Tigger, Rabit and Pooh come from this devotional. The descriptions below for Piglet, Kanga and Owl come from this character trait list.]
Are you a Tigger? “Tiggers are bouncy, flouncy, trouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! They bounce through life with a spring in their step. They laugh loudly at parties (I’ve decided they do everything loudly), they tell jokes, and they think everyone is their best friend. Even if they can’t remember your name, you’re their best friend. Of course, joy comes easily to them — right?” My little sister is a Tigger…she’s happy, and bouncy, the life of the party.
Or perhaps you are Winnie the Pooh. “These gentle folks never get too excited about anything, but they usually have a pleasant look on their faces. They tend to have a hard time making up their minds about anything. They are usually happy to let someone else make the decisions. You ask them about going to lunch, and they respond with, ‘Oh, you decide.'” My assistant, Bridget, she’s a Winnie the Pooh – she’s generally happy and pleasant but not overly excitable.
Or, maybe you’re like my mom, a Rabbit. “Rabbits are the task-masters of this world. Get it done, get it done right, and get it done now! Rabbits have a to-do list the size of Montana, and they don’t let much get in their way. They’re usually not the people you want to talk to if you’re having a rough day. They’re likely to tell you to “just deal with it.” Not so sure that rabbits experience much joy. If they do, it’s usually related to the completion of a task!”
Maybe you’re Piglet. Piglet is Intelligent but timid and has a lot of fears. He’s kind and gentle but very shy. “He’s very agreeable, which can be a problem in times of conflict or when a clear decision needs to be made because you cannot just agree with everyone’s point of view.” Sometimes it can be difficult for a worry wart, like Piglet to find joy, because he’s so afraid and timid. Sometimes I’m a little Piglet too…my fears prevent me from experiencing true joy.
Or maybe Kanga represents your personality better. “Kanga is the only female of the group and the only mother…Kanga has a great sense of humour, is kind-hearted, calm, patient and very concerned for the well-being of others. She likes to keep things clean and organized, is a good multi-tasker, and offers motherly advice to anyone who asks her. She seems to be in control of her life and comfortable with her responsibilities… [she is] quick to support anyone who she feels is struggling with something – including often helping people complete their tasks. But sometimes, she does this at the expense of herself.” Kanga’s sometimes care about making everyone happy that sometimes they forget to take care of themselves.
And of course, we can’t forget about OWL. “Owl and most of his friends believe that he is the most intelligent animal in the wood, because he pulls facts and figures out of seemingly thin air, and is often right. But he rarely checks to see if his conclusions are actually true, because he just KNOWS how to appear credible. He often rambles on into long-winded speeches and uses words that his friends do not understand… He can be cross and easily annoyed, especially when his friends ignore or interrupt his long-winded speeches.” Owl sometimes lets knowledge and his thoughts to get in the way of having joy. By overthinking everything, he sometimes forgets to really enjoy the moment. I hate to say this, but my Dad and my Brother often fit in this category. They are the smartest, most intellectual guys I know, but sometimes thinking and arguing might get in the way.
Or maybe, you’re more like me – an Eeyore – someone who find is difficult to be joyful. Sometimes joy can feel elusive to those of us who aren’t naturally bubbly. But is it?
Is it possible for those of us who are not naturally joyful to find and experience true joy?
Psalm 16: 11 (NIV) says, “in His presence is fullness of joy.” So it is possible! When we are in God’s presence we can experience fullness of joy – true joy – but we have to actually be IN his presence.
Galations 5:22-23 (NIV) reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Rick Warren in Joy is For Everyone, writes, “Joy is our birthright from the Holy Spirit. It comes from being connected to God. Galatians 5:22 tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (NIV). That verse doesn’t say that joy is available for only those whose natural personality lends itself easily to feelings of joy. No, it implies that joy is available for all who are in Christ Jesus and whose lives are full of the Holy Spirit.”
I don’t know about you, but I find that so encouraging! I don’t have to be naturally inclined to be joyful, bouncy and happy all the time, all I need to do is be in Christ and have Christ in me. When the Holy Spirit is in our lives joy will be the natural overflow and fruit of our life. Notice it says “the fruit of the spirit is” not “the fruits of the spirit are“. If we are truly living for the Lord, joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will grow in our lives.
So how do we grow the fruit of joy in our lives? John 15: 5 (NLT) reads, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Fruit grows in our lives when we abide in him. John 15 asks, can we bear fruit if we are not connected to the vine? No! Branches can’t bear fruit if they are cut off from the tree or vine. If we are to bear the fruit of the spirit, if we are to be truly joyful, we must be connected to HIM, in relationship with HIM, and abiding in HIM.
I remember being a little kid sitting in the backyard picking “bouquets of flowers” (aka dandelions) for my mom. I would gather as many little yellow blossoms as I could possibly grasp in my tiny hands before I ran into the house proudly presenting my gift to my mom to stick in a jar on the table. But sadly, every single time, my precious little flowers would wilt and turn brown. Within a few hours they would hang their heads and sink over the edges of that jar. As a kid, I could never understand why my precious prize had died. It had water and sunlight and lots and lots of love. I had the best intentions yet my poor little flowers never lasted. Why was that? They weren’t connected to the true source of their existence. As soon as I plucked those little dandelions out of the ground I cut them off from the roots which nourished them.
You and I are like dandelions. We can have great intentions…but if we are cut off from the roots that nourish us, how can we truly survive.
My prayer is that I would learn how to abide in him and be in his presence. Because it is only when I am in his presence that I will discover fullness of joy. Blessings and prayers for you too.
xoxo Tori