Joy in the Journey #1/#2: Celebration & Hope

Restoration of joy. That's what's on my mind this morning. For every Camp Robber that attempts to steal my joy, there are specific ways to recover it. Creating space for joy is a definite must. Taking time to be in God's Presence and truly "Sabbathing" are essential. What I do there is something else...

Last week hinted at one way. If I had to give it a label, I'd tag it celebration. Celebration, especially of God's victories in our life - throwing Him a party as evidence of His faithfulness. Everyone loves a party...I would imagine God's included in that, after all they were His idea implanted in our hearts. Those parties should include "lifting up banners of joy in His name." I just wonder what life would be like if we were more intentional about celebrations and parties? After all, the kind of joy they tend to produce is contagious.

I thought of another. Call this Joy Restorer #2. Tag it: Hope.

The last three airline trips I've made have been trips-from-down-under (and I'm not talking about Australia or New Zealand, if you know what I mean). I've experienced delay after delay, mostly due to mechanical failures or waiting to exchange crews who have worked over their hour limits. It began with the trip I took to Phoenix for my grandson's 8th birthday, carried over on the trip I took to my Aunt Frannie's 100th birthday party in Oregon, and this last flight going to Albany, New York. There's nothing like sitting an extra 8 hours at Dulles International Airport. By the time I arrived at my destination, I was getting pretty fed up with United Airlines. I was already forming (in my head) my letter of complaint, as well as how I would fill out their "Tell-Us-About-Your-Last-Experience-With-United" form. Neither would be very pretty. So, on Saturday morning, just prior to leaving for home, my sweet husband asked, no stated, "I bet you are looking forward to the trip home!" He leans toward the sarcastic. Before even arriving at the airport, we knew it would be a 16-hour day door to door. Who looks forward to that? (Actually, I think he was a little nervous traveling with me, since I didn't have the best of travel-fortune.) I thought for a minute, and responded, "What I'm looking forward to is what's at the other end...my own bed, eating my own food, time to go on some long walks, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and just being quiet for a few hours (or a few days)." That's when it struck me about hope. I knew the trip home was a long one. I knew there could be bumps, delays, problems, and flight crew changes. At the other end, I anticipated the joy of being home. I knew what was coming. I could foresee what that looked like. In that moment of insightful foresight, I found a new joy for the journey! It was completely founded on HOPE!

We have such a hope for life. It's also called home. Some call it heaven. The writer of Hebrews, when  pointing to Abraham's exemplary faith, tell us that "he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (11:10)." The Apostle John pointed to heaven, helping us picture what was ahead - a place with no sorrow, no tears...

Paul reminds us that to "die is gain..." The Apostle Peter weighs in with our inheritance "that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for (you)" and is guarded by God's power (1 Peter 1:6). We don't see heaven, we just catch glimpses of it through the eyes of those who were given opportunity to look at the world beyond and were excited for it. Which is why I love these words from Peter, as well:

"Though you do not now see.., you believe..., and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:8b)."

#lessonsonjoy: When the road of life seems long and problem-filled, a glimpse at what's at the end will restore the joy.

Lift up Banners of JOY!

Lord Byron is quoted as saying, "If I don't write to quiet my mind, I go mad." I've often thought we must have been related, he and I. Typically my mind is spinning and full. This morning it is strangely quiet. Awkwardly so.

Currently, I hold four journals all filled with information on joy. In no way have I completed the topic. The fact is I am supposed to be done; and, I thought for certain I'd be finished at the time I ended the Thrive Retreat where I'd be speaking on Joy in the Journey. Yesterday morning I left Breckenridge after debriefing with the 34 other women who volunteered alongside me. I haven't even begun to touch, in this blog, some of the things I've learned, and even some of the lessons I shared with the "global" women we all went to serve. Again, my mind is oddly still, except for one passage of Scripture. It was a passage I had intended to share with the ladies as I finished out the sessions, but left out as time ran short. It's applicable more to me this morning than it is to anyone, but it is one of the "joy" passages I studied along the way.

May we shout for JOY over your victories and lift up our banners of JOY in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all my requests...Psalm 20:5

My mind is quiet, but my heart is rejoicing this morning. If it weren't 4:30 AM, in a Denver hotel, filled with sleeping folks, I would probably be a bit more expressive. I feel like shouting and lifting up a banner in the name of my God. Why? I saw first-hand-victories over the past 8 days. I watched the countenances of women change. I saw souls arrive in Breckenridge heavy-hearted and leave lighter. I watched confusion melt into peace. I heard stories of fears dissolving. I watched transformations take place. God was good to these women.

The Lord granted all of my requests for these ladies, my heroes of the faith! Missionary life is not easy. Most of these women will tell you that the #1 question they don't want to be asked is "How are you doing?" At the same time, most of them will tell you the #1 question they hope to be asked is "How are you doing?"...and have the one who asked them truly listen. I think that hope was fulfilled. They connected with other women walking the same road called "home assignment." They shared vulnerably. They were heard, and loved on, by one another, and the volunteers. It was a JOY to see.

Much more, God heard my cries for help, and responded. I came to Him with a request to allow me to "be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to Him, and prepared for every good work (2 Timothy 1:23)." I prayed a declaration of King David in Psalm 18, that my God would indeed "help me to advance..." and to be with me, helping me to "scale a wall (vs. 29)." This morning as I write, I'm listening to a TobyMac song on Pandora.

"You take me to the place where I know I need you -
Straight to the depths I can't handle on my own.
And, Lord, I know, I know I need you.
Take me to your great unknown...

You gave me stars, put them out of my reach...
Called me to waters a little too deep.
I've never been so aware of my need.
You keep on making me see-
It's way beyond me."

That resonates with me this early morning hour. God has, once again, taken me to a place where I desperately needed Him. He called me to deep waters, which were a little intimidating, and certainly difficult to navigate without His help. He asked me to step out of myself and do that which is "beyond me"... But in that place His faithful Presence went with, and as I stepped into His Presence, I, also, stepped into strength...and JOY.

#lessonsonjoy - When I step out of my comfort zone, into His Presence, I can confidently do that which is beyond me and find joy.

I'm headed off to New York this morning. Soon as I get home, I need to create a banner of JOY to raise to in the name of my God. He helped me scale a wall. I saw victory unfold before my eyes.

At least I can shout for JOY (somewhere in a place where people aren't sleeping)!

Camp Robber #9: Undermining Shame

I have written much, spent a lot of ink, on the topic of shame. Shame is, in my opinion, my #1 enemy when it comes to joy-robbing. He's almost giant in proportion, but not quite big enough (this is true, at least the case in my world, but not so true in others'). In spite of all I know about shame, I still haven't conquered it. Shame still swoops in from time-to-time without much warning, and, oops (!) there he goes again, off with my JOY. I'm left shouting, "Off with your head!" As far as "Camp-Robbers" go, this one is, well, "shameless;" and, like all camp-robbers, quick and sneaky (so much so, he's almost invisible to the naked-eye). When his theft goes undetected, and we're left stewing in silence, wondering what happened, unable to put our finger on exactly what, shame grows - he grows bigger and fatter. So, it's important to learn to recognize his presence, his thievery, and deal with him, IMMEDIATELY and CONSISTENTLY. We've been given that authority,  and the sling-shot to rid ourselves of him, even though he'd like us to think otherwise.

Here's what shame does. He swoops in, plants a thought, steals my joy, and leaves me as quickly as he came, feeling dirty, defiled. He attaches himself to things I've done or not done (my shame is often the result of my perfectionism); to things others have done to me; or to people who've done bad things and to whom I associate myself. No matter which vehicle he uses, I'm left looking a lot like this...

Then, before I know it, I'm wallowing...languishing in the messiness...

Dirt sticks. It dries. It cakes. The problem is that it's caked to our souls, not our bodies. When it's caked to our souls, we know we're defiled. There's no way we can be holy. No matter what anyone tells us. We can confess to a priest, but inside we still feel dirty. We can try to cover it with a medication, but that only helps for so long. We can turn to drugs, or alcohol, or some other method for forgetting, but it's only a mask, and underneath, in our sane moments, the dirt and defilement still loom large.

In the pictures above the dirt can be washed away, a good hosing, a soak in a tub, and the body can be clean again. How is the soul washed? And, once washed, how does it stay clean? How do we recognize shame, who never gives up, and persistently attacks again and again? More importantly, how do we make it stop?! Secular author, Brené Brown has written books on her years of shame research. They are good. They are helpful. I've quoted her often. They just aren't complete (sorry, Dr. Brown). The helpful things she's told me are:
* don't silence shame - wrap words around shame - we need good COMMUNICATION
* find safe people to whom you can share your story - we need CONNECTION
* be kind to yourself; talk to yourself the way you would a friend - we need COMFORT
* we must learn to be truly vulnerable - it is through vulnerability we will develop COURAGE
* courage leads to CONFIDENCE
* confidence steps over shame and allows us to live in CREATIVITY (shame-gone)

These are good things...they are right...they are even Biblical. Yet they don't clean the soul. What cleans the soul? Blood. That's what the entire book of Leviticus is about. Moses unveils THE LIST - here are the things that will defile you. When you are defiled, you must go to the temple. Bring or purchase a lamb. Give it to the priest. The priest will sacrifice it, take it before the Lord, and you will be washed clean from the blood. Done. Done. Done. The people believed Moses. They came...in fact the outer courts of the temple were a bloody mess. Yet, when they left, their belief in the WORDS OF THE LORD and the blood spilled were visible signs that they were cleansed. DEFILED-NO-MORE! 

We don't sacrifice in our temples/churches anymore. I'm so thankful. I'd have to camp out at the temple. I'd be lamb-rich and penny-poor. Instead, the rest of the story is JESUS. The spotless lamb. The ONE who chose to die, once for all, to cleanse me of shame's attempts, for ALL TIME. Yes, I need communication, it's called REPENTANCE. I need CONNECTION, it's called BELIEVING on the Lord Jesus Christ. I need comfort, it's called SALVATION (past, present, and future tense). I need COURAGE, it's called the HOLY SPIRIT dwelling in me. I need CONFIDENCE, it's called a NEW IDENTITY in Christ. I need CREATIVITY, it's called MISSION.

The break down comes when I don't walk belief... I go through the steps, I acknowledge the truth with my head, but I must transfer it all to my heart. That's why we've been given a visible sign. Our sign is the cross. Again and again, when shame strikes, I must look at the CROSS (that's the one thing missing in Dr. Brown's list). When I look at the CROSS, Shame flees, taking his bag of seeds with him. 

This weeks #lessononjoy: Always stand within the shadow of the cross. There is JOY. SHAMELESS JOY.

Camp Robber #8: Un-relatable People

Life just keeps moving forward, and here I am, still navigating these roads that lead to joy. Along the way, I've discovered a lot of ways to create space finding joy. By creating space, I am choosing joy above anything else: anger, sadness, jealousy, fear, anxiety, __________ (you can fill in the blank). It doesn't mean I ignore those other emotions (have you seen Pixar's movie, Inside Out? A must!). However, joy can still exist alongside those other emotions. That's what I choose. It's what I want. It's the thing for which I will continue to fight.

As noted over the last several weeks, there are "Camp Robbers". Little things with wings that flit in and out of my world, attempting to steal away what I want most. Of course - joy. I've grown accustomed to the fact that they are sneaky little rascals and am more aware of them. The problem is that they just don't stop. As soon as I have identified one, another dives bombs the picnic table set for joy, and catches me off guard. I know this, because I am a living, breathing human. If we aren't six feet under, there will always be "Camp Robbers." There are at least two that flitted into life-as-I-know-it over the last couple of days. So, one today, the other next week.

In my journeying, I finally arrived at Paul's book of Philippians - a very thorough writing on joy. I see in Paul's writing that he categorizes several of these robbers of joy in a particular pattern. Accordingly, these things attempt to keep us from "rejoicing always, and (he) says it again, rejoice!" Here's Paul's list: places (like prison), people, problems, pedestals (idols), and pollution (sin). I should have read his list before I started creating my own.

There in the midst of Philippians (just about the time Paul tells the church to "be of one mind," to "maintain the same love," "to be united in Spirit," and "to be intent on one purpose,"), it happened. It being that someone did something, didn't communicate something, and ignored important relationship rules in such a way that I got all worked up internally. So much so that I allowed what was done, un-communicated, and ignored to rob me of sleep and, yep, joy. The ridiculousness of it all was that I was taking up a sense of offense, justice, and annoyance, and it wasn't even my problem. This all belonged to someone else. I was all riled up for a situation that wasn't mine to own. I tried to come up with an UN-word (since my list, unlike Paul's, all started with "un"). I spent an entire middle-of-the-night looking at UN-words in the dictionary to fit how/why this person had begun to strip me of joy. They weren't being "unlikable," "unneighborly, or "unbiblical"... Yes, they were a little "un-smart," and, somewhat "unaccountable." Yet those weren't the best words to define what was happening. The UN-word I finally came up with was "un-relatable." Sometimes, in life people do things we can't relate to and we wind up all discombobulated in soul. Such was this situation. I simply couldn't file away the decision that had been made by this individual. I couldn't make sense of what seemed to me to be irresponsible, thoughtless, misdirected, and financially poor stewardship. Again - not mine to even worry over; yet, I was the disturbed soul. Camp Robber #8: Un-relatable People

Fortunately, it only lasted for a part of an evening...even though these were sleep hours I wouldn't retrieve. Back to Philippians I went, and there it was, "Tell Euodia and Syntyche to live together in harmony..." First, though, Paul makes sure the whole church took time to reflect on their relationship to Jesus and all that had been done for them: had Jesus made a difference in their hearts and lives? That's when Paul tells them in very specific terminology to "regard others as more important as themselves." Ouch. He also says in not so many words, "Stop being selfish and conceited." Just stab me with a sword, Paul! There was MY HEART PROBLEM in five words. When I find it hard to relate to others, it's often because I think I know better than they do how they should live their lives. In my self-centeredness, I think I have all the answers. In my conceitedness, I think I am somehow a bit smarter, and others should listen to me, ask my advice, and then follow it. Living in harmony always means I must always work on my humility. Always! Living in harmony means I must develop of Jesus-attitude of emptying, serving, humbling...even to the point of death. However, right now, other than dying to self, Jesus isn't asking me to die, I am pointedly aware that what He wants from me is LIFE: a life of living together in harmony established without self-centered conceit.

Then I will find joy...

...and possibly sleep better, too.

Camp Robber #7 - Unbalanced & Unaddressed Busyness

A few weeks ago, a friend posted the following on Facebook. It was immediately convicting and heart-breaking. Here's the quote:

"When we are busier than God requires us to be, we do violence to ourselves...Thomas Merton understood this and wrote: 'There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence...activism (as in being too active) and overwork. The rush and pressure of a modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands... The frenzy...kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.' And when we do this violence to ourselves, we are unable to love others in and through the love of Christ." -Emotionally Healthy Spirituality- Scazzero, Week 6, Day 2.

In fact, I would submit, when we do this "violence" (did you catch that strong word?) to ourselves, we immediately choose to step out of joy. When we step out of joy - what is left to attract non-believers to Jesus? Why would they want to be us?

I look around me. We are a busy people. We are, then, a violent people. A people that chooses personal abuse over wisdom, over love, over joy, over peace and contentment. I am included in that collective "we"... And, all of a sudden, I feel like running someplace private, and screaming, "STOP!" When we choose this kind of lifestyle, we choose murder: of time, family, relationships with friends, the sweet place we call 'home,' and the ability to truly abide in Jesus. It makes sense that this might be one of the enemy's greatest attacks on God's people - "Dear Wormwood, Get them too busy doing good things..." 

Why do we do this to ourselves? I recognize there are seasons of busy...unstoppable and unpreventable. I recognize that sometimes bosses, and the simple nature of our work, come into play and we are out of control of the situation. This isn't what I'm referring to right now. I'm talking about those of us who laden our schedules, and fill the calendar, and say "yes!" to a kazillion things that leave no room for margin. No room for error. No room for unforeseen circumstances, or unplanned waiting... No room for Sabbath... When our world is interrupted, we spiral out of control, and "berserk" is a fitting word.

I've visited "busy-ness" before. I'll revisit with the same Scripture passage. It's a story about Moses post-Red Sea. It's found in Exodus 18. Moses is one busy man. EVERYONE with a problem comes to him. He has the "in" with the Lord God. He's the one who's "in-the-know." So, no problem is too large, but no problem is too small, either. Day and Night, Night and Day, Moses sits and listens to problem after problem after problem after problem... That became the PROBLEM. 

Finally, his father-in-love comes to him with good advice. He sees that Moses is becoming over-burdened, over-worked, and under joy-ed. The words Jethro speaks are, "This thing is too grievous for you..." In other words, you're so busy, all I see is a man in grief. There is no joy in you. Jethro gives Moses a plan. It has to do with prioritizing the need and sharing the load. When we prioritize and share, we create this thing called "margin," like the white space along the side of the paper and at the top and at the end. White space creates order. White space gives us boundaries. Boundaries, in this sense, are GOOD. In Moses' life, the white space created room for his wife and two sons. It gave Moses a chance to rest and renew. It allowed him to go to the tent of meeting, and speak to God as a man speaks to a friend face-to-face. There, in the presence of the Lord, Moses could find JOY.

The same is true for me. For you. Oh, may we stop doing violence to ourselves. Oh, that we create some white space, and there write the words of being in God's presence. The Words that bring joy back to our lives.

ANOTHER GREAT QUOTE TO FINISH:

“One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.”

Elizabeth Elliot

P.S. A great read on this idea of prioritizing is Lysa TerKeurt's new book, The Best Yes!

Camp Robber #6 - Unclear Future

True confessions: I am a planner.

I've learned to be more flexible over time. Considering the life we have led, one can't plan too far in advance. So, I don't do goal-setting, or I'd spend my life totally frustrated. I can't do budget, because from one month to the next, being on a "support basis" in ministry, we never know how much money we will receive (contrary to opinion, we are not independently wealthy because my husband played at one time in the NBA). I can't even predict what will actually grow in the vegetable garden I planted...because I'm not in charge of the rain or the harvest. Some things I can't plan in advance. HOWEVER, I need some semblance of organization, or chaos will send me spiraling.

I plan, organize, and try to keep things orderly just for the sake of my sanity. To have a plan settles me. It's really just the way I'm wired, can be a strength, keeps me disciplined and productive ("making the most of my time"), and helps me to "settle." However, when I can't make a plan, or more importantly, I can't see enough of the future to do so, no small amount of anxiety is the result. In my mind, an unclear future is just the worst culprit for causing worry. Now, I know what you're probably thinking: you are a control freak! I'll nod and agree. It's just hard for me when it feels like life is slipping out of control. I relate, then, to these words from the Psalmist:

When I thought, "My foot is slipping," your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy (Ps. 94:18-19)."

After a not-too-thorough word study, I have written my paraphrase: When I find myself talking about how shaky my journey ahead is, it is your faithfulness and love, O Lord, that bring me strength and sustaining comfort........and, more importantly, JOY in the journey.

I loved the NET version: When worries threaten to overwhelm me, your soothing touch makes me happy.

Reminders of God's faithfulness, His great LOVE-capacity-for me, is what soothes and settles my soul. EVEN MORE THAN BEING ORGANIZED! When life slips and spins, I need God-reminders. I need stones of remembrance close by, stones piled into an altar of celebratory worship: "the rock of my trust (Ps. 94:22)." Lately, I've realized this fact about the journey of joy: the highway I've traveled is paved with rocks of trust.

So, at every opportunity along the road, I must do as the Lord often instructed the Patriarchs, and erect Altars of Remembrance. Altars that remind me, He's got this life of mine. He holds my future. His will is for my welfare and not for calamity. His plans will not be thwarted. His faithfulness is steady; His mercies new each day; His provision sure; His love never failing. I need altars that boldly declare my history with the Lord. But that's not all...

I need more celebration around those altars. This week, I started skimming my list of joy-verses. I have them all typed and in book-by-book order. I didn't count, but so many of the initial verses line out the celebrations of God's people, and every celebration-verse includes the word JOY. In all my planning, the one thing I've never been good about organizing is a party. This needs to change. If joy is going to reign, especially when there is an unclear future ahead (and let's face it...all of the future is uncertain), then I need to sprinkle my life with party hats, balloons, fun food, and fun friends...and I need to organize, and plan, to celebrate the goodness of the Lord, the faithfulness of His sovereignty, and the hope of EVERY TOMORROW to come.

That's exactly what I'm going to do today! After all, I am a planner!

Camp Robber #5: Unyielding Idols

I'm finding myself more aware than ever, and, definitely on the alert for the following things:

Camp Robber #1: Unrealistic Expectations

Camp Robber #2: Unreasonable Questioning

Camp Robber #3: Unplanned Waiting

Camp Robber #4: Unforeseen Circumstances

However, there is an even sneakier robber-of-joy that creeps into "camp" unaware and subtly steals away my joy (ah, but I caught him in the act this week, and his thievery has forced me to look inwards). It all started with a sentence I wrote down in my journal months ago. I probably am quoting some author or another, but I failed to give credit in my ramblings. "Good things often turn to supreme things." 

I know this about that: Supreme things rule. That which rules controls. That which controls I obey. "Obey" became the key word that sent me scurrying inward for a spiritual check-up. David made this bold statement in Psalm 40:8, "I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart (NLT)."

Now, the proper answer to the question of what is supreme in my life, and who (or, what) I obey, is the standard Sunday School response, "Jesus." However, I'm not so sure that is accurate. There are "good things" afoot. "Good things" that have settled in on the altar that is reserved for Jesus. You see, this Camp Robber doesn't just steal, he replaces. He snatches and stores; and, he's so quick I don't even notice that one is missing for the other that has filled the hole. Camp Robber #5: Unyielding idols.

No, I don't have a Baal (see an example of this Canaanite god above) erected in my back yard, but I have built some "high places" in my heart. Good things that have turned to supreme things. Things that:
* Absorb my imagination more than God...
* Give me a sense of identity and security...
* Use up my passion, energy, and even financial resources...
* Control my emotions...

Things that:
* I seek to please...
* I march to the beat of...
* I find pride swelling up inside my heart over...

I should stop right there. I won't. I have an example. A personal one. So, here comes the vulnerability. I love my family (who doesn't, right?). When my family is happy, I am happy. When my family is here with me, I am happier. So, I will do at all costs whatever I must do to have them come...and to keep them as long as I possibly can. There is one problem. Both Bay and I are introverts. After being around people (ANY people) for a certain period of time, we exhaust emotionally (& physically). When we exhaust, we get cranky. When we exhaust, we become better sinners. But, being with my kids and my grand-treasures is the delight of my life. Bay, too! We plan activities, parties, things we'll do when we're together, what we'll eat, what we'll play, and how we'll spend our every waking moment, while still holding the house together in one piece (remember there can be as many as 24 of us under one roof during these special family gatherings) and carrying on ministry responsibilities (from our home office). We love it! We can't wait for them to come, and we make the most of EvErY sInGLe MiNuTe! The difference is that Bay knows his limits. If I were honest, I would know mine, too, but I ignore the limits just for the sake of being together. The discrepancy between Bay's known limits and my inadmissible limitations has caused no small amount of disagreement. This tension has brought me to a sad realization - my children, my grand-treasures, can be idols in my life (OK, change that "can be" to "are"...I mean, look at them, I need say no more).

As I began to admit this to myself, I also realized that simply by virtue of the fact that their emotional states can direct the course of my emotional state is also a strong indication of idolatry... That's when I started seeing other things that the Camp Robber has dropped in my life to replace the ONE REAL SUPREME THING (Jesus). I had to ask myself some questions in order to discover other little "g" gods, golden calves, which I've set up to dance around:

What seems to control my emotions? What makes me uncontrollably upset, angry, anxious, hurt, or despondent?
What do I seek to control, to fix?
What do I fear losing?
What drives my life?
How do I spend our money?
How do I spend my time?
When my mind is at rest, where does that compass point? What do I think about?
What habits consume me?
Where do I find my value? What defines me?

When I honestly answer those questions, I find my idols. Idols confuse. Confusion causes joylessness. When I tear down the "high places," burn the golden calf, put Jesus back on His rightful throne, and start obeying the first commandment, I find my joy returning.

It's no wonder the Lord put this commandment as #1; He knew disobeying it would be a certain joy-stealer!

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God...showing steadfast love to...those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:3-6)."

So, I reckon I need to tear down some high places; remove some altars. Excuse me, I have some bricks to remove.