Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
July 3, 2023
This Week's Anchor
“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some
to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)
Well, folks, it’s hard to believe that we are halfway through the year, but here we are. Summer has officially kicked off and we’ve entered the season where outside is officially open *cues DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”*. Summer is a welcomed guest for those of us who live in colder climates. Each year I embrace it excitedly because there is something about summer that evokes childhood memories. From cookouts to camps to pool time and beach adventures to outdoor patio dining, summer is truly a moment that invites each of us to radiant joy.
For those of us who honor a relationship with the Holy Trinity, joy is something more than the happiness of happenings. As someone once described it when I was younger, happiness is based on what happens to you; but joy is despite what happens to you. For us, joy is deeply spiritual. There is something radical about joy, especially the kind Nehemiah encourages in our anchor scripture. Nehemiah’s proclamation of the strength of God’s joy in chapter 8 reflects the rebuilding and renewal of Jerusalem against the odds. Isn’t this what God’s joy often feels like in our lives as well? Contentment despite the confusion. Hope despite hardships. Gratitude despite the grief. Peace despite the pain. And trust despite the trauma.
This scripture isn’t our only call to radical joy. In fact, the words joy, rejoice, and/or joyful appear in the Bible over 430 times. Nevertheless, for many of us, the thought of true inner joy is just that, a distant thought, and a fleeting reality. Joy is somewhere tucked away in those childhood summer memories but feels evasive in our present adult lives. It can take intentional self-exploration and work for one to understand the barriers to the experience of joy. And believe me, as someone who’s sat with hundreds of folks in therapy on their quest for happiness over the years, I could write for days about the many psychological and social reasons that connecting with joy can be difficult. However, in the interest of time, I will name a few things that might resonate with some of us.
For one, it isn’t uncommon for Black folks (and folks of many different marginalized identities and communities) to be raised in a world where joy isn’t equitably served and therefore, doesn’t feel like an 0btainable option. How can one consider joy when everywhere you turn there is threat after threat and barrier after barrier? We come from a lineage of fighters and survivors. And although each generation has worked hard in the efforts of making things better for the next, in all the fighting, surviving, climbing, and protecting there hasn’t always been room for excitement and joy. Relatedly, because of the racial-cultural hardships that often intersect with personal/family struggles, many of us had to grow up fast. Whether connected to childhood trauma, strained family relationships, financial concerns, strict expectations/pressures, being the eldest sibling, caretaker/gender roles, grief/loss, health/mental health concerns (for ourselves or parental figures/others), and more, some of us never got to fully enjoy being a kid. Childhood ended and adulthood began early for many, and as a result, some of us are still grieving in adulthood what we missed out on and didn’t have when we were younger (i.e., in parents, siblings, friendships, resources, community, and fun). If we didn’t have a true childhood, we have also likely never had radical joy modeled for us. Considering all that’s previously mentioned, it’s quite understandable that many of us haven’t been taught joy; however, if joy wasn’t accessible, prioritized, and/or encouraged for us growing up, it’s unsurprising that it’s hard to access naturally as adults. In truth, there are often moments later in life when we come to this realization and reclaim the joy that feels lost.
It's reminiscent of that old gospel song that sings,
“Take me back, take me back dear Lord To the place where I first received you Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I First believed
I feel that I'm so far from you Lord But still I hear you calling me Those simple things that I once knew, Their memories keep drawing me
I must confess, Lord I've been blessed But yet my soul's not satisfied Renew my faith, restore my joy And dry my weeping eyes”
(Andre Crouch)
Even in the best of circumstances, childhood is usually over-focused on growing up, figuring out who and what we want to be, and where we want to go in the future. And then we get old and say, “Take me back”. Not only back to physical childhood, but in the words of Andre Crouch, back to spiritual childhood too. Remember the joy of the early days when you first believed? When you first felt the fire of the Holy Spirit? When God first spoke to you? When you first felt His presence or when you first witnessed a miracle? It was a special place, just like the innocent and pure joy of childhood. Connecting with radical joy requires us to in some way symbolically go back. Back to the simple life. Back to what excites us. And back to what sparks creativity and makes the worries of the world feel on pause for just a moment. Unlike other devotion topics, I don’t have a savvy list of how to reclaim joy, because I truly believe that what reclaims joy for each of us is unique. However, there are some things we can be mindful of as we begin the journey.
How We Can Start the Journey of Connecting with Radical Joy
Remember & Return—To connect with God’s radical joy, it’s first helpful to recall God’s Word and its many encouragements of joy. In coming back to our relationship with God and His word, we can reconnect with His purpose and provision for our lives that bring us hope and remember the enjoyable moments (big and small; past and present) that God has graciously granted us. Remembering joy often welcomes joy. We also invite joy when we return to the simple. The practice of mindfulness includes a concept called “beginner’s mind”, which involves seeing and engaging with life as if it were your first time. The essence of Andre Crouch’s song conveys this. Although we can’t physically go back to the beginning of various life experiences, we can approach things curiously and pray for God to show us new things in our present seasons. This newness and freshness can, interestingly, spark joy and excitement.
Reflect & Introspect—Nehemiah inspired the community of folks in our anchor scripture to enjoy themselves, eat, celebrate, and have fun (v. 10a; 12), but how can we do this if we don’t know what we enjoy/like to eat or how to have fun and celebrate? Reclaiming radical joy depends on one of the most important relationships in our lives—our relationship with ourselves. It requires searching ourselves to understand what brings us joy now, what brought us joy in the past, and what has prevented us from connecting with joy throughout our lives. You can start by reflecting on these questions:
When was the last time I felt a spark of joy (or other words/concepts that reflect joy for you, i.e., excitement, peace, creativity, freedom, etc.)? Where was I? What was I doing? Who was I with? What did it feel, sound, smell, and/or taste like?
What has contributed to joy for me in the past? What has gotten in the way?
What barriers are in the way of me connecting with joy now? Of these barriers, which do I have agency in removing/navigating?
If I were to imagine my most joyful self in the future, what would that look and feel like?
Set Intentions & Implement—Once we search God, the Word, and ourselves and have ideas regarding how we might reclaim joy, making plans and following through comes next. We can hold ourselves accountable and connect with our community to encourage, challenge, and join us. No matter how you choose to connect with joy, it’s important to remember that like most things in life, we journey one step at a time. Sometimes we start with celebrating the little daily joys. I danced with my toddler to The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea” this morning (the original song, of course) and it brought me great delight. It’s sometimes the simple and silly things that bring us joy. On the other hand, sometimes it’s the meaningful things that are joyous. For example, I often experience the most joy when I feel connected to my purpose and passion. Additionally, reclaiming joy might be connected to spontaneity and unplanned experiences (see our previous devotion on how God can use the unexpected), or having an impact (i.e., volunteering, community engagement, and/or advocacy). Whatever joy looks like for you, plan it, and commit to it. [Follow this link for more inspirations on Black-woman joy]
As we enter another week and embrace the warm bliss of summer, let us stand firm in the strength of God’s unexplainable delight. May we dance when no one is watching, sing loudly when no one is listening, and laugh until it hurts. May we liberate the childlike fun within us and absorb and emit radical joy. Because guess what, we deserve it!
Reflection
What resonates for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you connect with radical joy?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Psalm 5:11-12; 32:11
John 15:11-17
Romans 5:1-5; 12:9-21
2 Corinthians 8:1-2
Philippians 2:1-2
1 Peter 1:3-9
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Once we recognize what it is we are feeling, once we recognize
we can feel deeply, love deeply, can feel joy, then we will demand
that all parts of our lives produce that kind of joy.”
Audre Lorde
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