Joy to the World

                                                              Mr. Fezziwig's Ball ~ A Christmas Carol 1843

"There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour."  ~A Christmas Carol

🎄 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is one of the most powerful stories of redemption given to us.  It in itself is a gift to us to not just regard it as a Christmas classic, but to literally take to heart the lessons from it and apply them today.  

The characters, though created in the mid 1800s, provide all the insight into timeless human nature:

🎄 Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig - jovial and festive - inviting all to partake in the celebration of the holidays and to leave the daily worries behind.  I get the idea that they are that jolly almost every other day of the year as well.  I wish they were my boss.  I bet their motto is work hard and play hard, but more importantly as they work, they are investing in their employees as people who are worthy.  Scrooge recalls, after glimpsing the ball and merriment hosted by his former boss, that:

                

You know those kind of people - so pleasant & encouraging to be around; always wanting to make sure you are enjoying yourself and having fun.  They speak life to those around them.

🎄 Scrooge's nephew Fred is my other favorite because he doesn't care what Scrooge says to him; nothing changes his attitude.  If I was to guess, I would say Fred was definitely in tune to who he was in God's eyes.  His ability to let comments and actions just repel off of  him and not even put one stain on his demeanor is admirable. 

🎄 And yet Fred had such a heart for Scrooge, his lost and miserable uncle - he saw him through God's eyes and truly desired to see him change.  Even his uncle's misery couldn't change Fred's position- Fred was steadfast and later even showed gratitude for him.  No one could rob Fred of his JOY.  Nobody.                                   

And then there's Scrooge.  Wallows in misery & spews it to others.

🎄So how do we not let others' attitudes and opinions chip away at ours?  How come anger, depression, loneliness and anxiety just run rampant in our lives and those around us?  Some days it feels like death by paper cuts.   We allow negative responses or circumstances to sting us, and then more salt gets poured in them and they sting a little more, until we are worn down by the dull aches and have no energy to fight back.

🎄  Not exactly the abundant life that Christ said He came for in John 10:10:

   "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that 

they might have life and have it abundantly."

Satan is a thief that desires nothing more than to steal away our joy; taking away our zest for life, our hopefulness towards others, our satisfaction in finding purpose to our day to day; thereby killing us slowly and destroying our God-intended purpose.  He uses things that have taken thrones in our lives- our pride, our ego, our self-esteem, the expectations of the holidays & others- to attack us.  

BUT HERE'S THE BEST NEWS!!!! 🠋

                                            Govert Flinck (1615-1660) : Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds

             1 This is exactly what Christ came for!  

   2 Believe who you are.  Memorize 1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

   3 With humility, ask God to return to the throne of your life. Confess your sin of making idols of things & people that are not worthy to be in the rightful place of God, who redeemed your life by giving His Son on the cross to die for your sins. Believe you are forgiven  (1 John 1:9)  

   4 Read God's Word daily to ingrain in your heart what Christ has done for you because He deems you worthy.  If you memorize a few key scriptures like 1 John 4:4 then you can recall 

them when you feel you are being attacked.  Self talk the truth to yourself.

   5 Talk to other Christians honestly about this.  Get support and encouragement. 

🎄 Just remember - no one else should have that throne power in your life.  It can only be taken if we give them permission.  In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."  

  Click on the picture & follow the words below as a prayer.  It is truly Joy to the World.