~ Written by Viki Rife
I thought I was done with Christmas for another year. As I drove up to my house the other day, though, I realized the Christmas decoration on the front door had been overlooked in packing up. Boldly it proclaimed, “Joy to the World.”
My first thought was, “It doesn’t belong there now.” My next one was, “Why not?”
I had been feeling like the year had gotten off to a rough start. Suddenly, the responsibility of truly bringing joy to the world hit me. The joy we expect to have at Christmas was intended to be for every day of the year. It has nothing to do with presents or family gatherings. Joy is something we can choose to have no matter what our circumstances. It is an attitude we can convey to the watching world around us as we rejoice in who our God is.
Can 2021 be a year of joy, even if nothing is going the way we hoped? Let’s resolve this year to celebrate daily the joy of personally knowing the Savior of the world. Our choice to live in joy instead of complaining, criticizing or despairing will do more to draw the world to Christ than anything else we could do.
As God’s dearly loved children, let’s focus together this year on bringing joy to the world.
Released! 
[…] As God’s dearly loved children, let’s focus together this year on bringing joy to the world. ~ written by Viki Rife, from womenofgraceusa.wordpress.com […]
Wonderful advice, Viki. We had family members with Covid at Christmas time so we left our decorations up and plan to celebrate together later this year as we are able. I’m enjoying the tree much longer than usual (it is artificial because of allergies) and am reminded today that Joy lasts all year and to all generations!