It’s such a build up to Christmas isn’t it? Then all of a sudden – it’s over. It happens so fast and the feelings of excitement wane and we go back to the real world – minus the nostalgia.

December 25th is all smiles, food, gifts and fun. December 26th is exhaustion, clean-up and getting ready for the New Year.

One night is the difference between Excitement and Exhaustion.

As I’ve been thinking about this contrast I’ve been contemplating how continual contentment will only come from one’s focus being upon the Lord.

External circumstances, holidays, and events that we look forward to will occur and then be over as quickly as they started.

The way to NOT be up and down and all over the place emotionally is to focus on your constant, who is The Lord. Through every season and whatever the weather pattern, the Lord doesn’t change. He is the same and that is a good thing.

– We need a solid foundation to stand upon through those times where it feels like the storm is raging all around us.

– We need a sold foundation to stand upon when there is no storm but there is no joy either.

– We need a solid foundation to stand upon when we go from elated to less than excited.

Our joy is full when our joy is a result, rather than an achievement.

Jesus is our joy and when we look to Him first then joy is the result. If we are striving to attain and achieve joy apart from Him then it just won’t happen. You can fake it for awhile but that deep and profound joy that humanity is looking for is NOT found in a present, it’s found in the Person of Jesus!

Your faith will be in what you focus on.

Our countenance should not be based upon things on this earth, it should be based upon our vertical gaze upward. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

What are you focused on? Where are you looking? What do you base your joy on?

My prayer is that we’d look to the Lord first, get our hearts in-line with Him and the result will be an attitude that can actually smile through a storm AND have victory through any difficulty.

A lasting joy comes from looking to our loving God!

1 John 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him..”