Google: How to have joy all of the time

On Fridays in my classes, we have a time that is called, "How are you?" The kids enjoy it because there are five random questions on the board in which they can each answer two aloud. For example, the first question is always the same: What are your highlights and "lowlights" of the week? and then the others are usually fun and lighthearted. Last week, one of the questions was: Do you self-diagnose yourself when you're sick? Some of the kids said that when they were younger, they would "Google" their symptoms to find out their ailment. What I find amusing about this, is that these kids only know "Google" and to step foot into a library to do any research is a foreign concept-they wouldn't even know where to begin. 

Even though most of my life has been without Google, I use it like we've been best friends all of our lives. When I need a definition, why go to that big 'ol antiquated book called a "dictionary"? Why look at a map when you have Google to show you how to get there, plus the map (if you're so inclined)? Why learn anything from a book, medical journal, gossip magazine, newspaper when you have Google? Why try to find a Bible verse in the Bible when you can just "Google" part of it and find the reference faster than you can say the reference? It seems that Google is omniscient and omnipresent (almost literally) and omnipotent-well, hyperbole gets the best of me because I'm equating Google with God. And, this I know is NOT true. 

What Google can't do is answer or reveal the mysteries of God. I'd like to know, how does our body and its chemical make-up affect our emotions? How come I can go to bed early one night and wake up exhausted the next day? While these questions are real, my most important query is why don't I always feel joy even when I stay in close communion with Him? 

Lately, I've been struggling to wake up each morning with joy. I tell myself to be thankful, I pray, I read the Bible and mostly, I try to focus on the Cross and Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Everything has been looking bleak to me: I've been overwhelmed at school, prepping and teaching three different levels is taxing, my colleague is in jail and does not have a court date until January 2013 and I started to become sad thinking of her in there during Thanksgiving and Christmas, my students have not been on their best behavior, 2012 has been my personal financial recession and so on. These things wear on you and I've allowed them to become my daily clothing this week.  I've started to wonder if I have biological problem, do I have a hormone imbalance? This thought crossed my mind this morning and I decided to "Google" it. 

Then the Edison light bulb (today is the anniversary of his death and I so I must give him props) shines brightly above my head. If indeed I do have a hormone imbalance, then does that excuse me from having joy? Does that give me permission to revel in those ivy-like thoughts that choke my divine ecstasy? Let me give a Paulian answer: No, may it never be! 

If you're a woman, you may be more prone to succumbing to those hormonal moments. Let me encourage you to be on guard. We all have our ups and downs emotionally sometimes, but we need to guard our hearts from letting these infest our thoughts. Besides practically tearing up when I saw a horse's tail (only his hair) stuck outside of the trailer while I was on the freeway, all of my other thoughts carry a true weight of sorrow. As a Christian, I must be aware that when I feel overwhelmed by life, I do not need to nurture those cumbersome feelings and thoughts. Besides, isn't my God omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent and is in charge of everything in life? 

Let me encourage you in this: When you do succumb to your emotions and you feel like crawling into a hole, don't beat yourself up for not having the perfect and most holy reaction. I don't know about you, but I become grieved by the fact that my response was not the most perfect, God-pleasing, Spirit-filled reaction there could ever be. Instead, confess it to the Lord. Focus on the fact that our gracious and compassionate God does not expect us to behave and respond perfectly to trials and move on. Don't marinate on what you should have done, sometimes this is fodder for the enemy to remind you that you don't deserve forgiveness from the Lord. Instead, learn from your mistakes, make a mental note on how to respond biblically next time and be teachable-why do you think the concept of sanctification exists??!!!

Sometimes life and circumstances are overwhelming, but with God, anything is possible. It is not His desire for us to worry about our problems. It is not pleasing to Him when we get bogged down in our own grief that we become myopic. We can get through each day because He ordained it. We can find joy because all of us who are weak and heavy-laden should take it to the Lord in prayer.  We do have a friend in Jesus-He is the Ultimate friend who will never leave us, forsake us, flake out on us and will always be our joy-giver! 

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit-Psalm 51:12 

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days-Psalm 90:14 

Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets-Luke 6:23 

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance-Romans 5:3

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water-Psalm 63:1

I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”-Psalm 16:2; 

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot-Psalm 16:5 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things-Philippians 4:8 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us-Hebrews 12:1