Two people were talking about the positive and negative aspects of having lots of snow outside. One of the neighbors loved the snow. The other didn’t like it much and found little reason to think anything positive about it.
The woman who had positive things to say about the snow, honored the other person’s concerns about hardships endured from too much snow or cold associated with it, but still insisted that it’s healthy to see a positive side.
She said, “You can choose to feel doom and gloom about the snow, but the downside is, you have less joy in your life, and the same amount of snow. Nothing outward changes.”
It was a point well made, I thought.
Joy is spiritual. It comes from God and is freely available to express anytime.
It doesn’t matter if it’s snowing or not—or raining or windy. We can still find and feel joy.
True joy is not a temporal human mind state that is taken from us by adverse material conditions. It’s a state of mind—a state of the divine Mind that is independent of material circumstance.
If you’re feeling down today, take heart. The ability to feel joy is with you. You have it. It’s a part of who you are as a child of God.
Choose to live with joy, and to express it abundantly.
It’s JOY to hear those invigorating words! Ah, fresh air and the beauty of winter’s white bonnet!
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
Thank you, Evan, for this article, which seems to address a number of concerns, both my own and others.
Having grown up in a much milder climate for over 4 decades, a quite unforseen move to a much colder climate came as a bit of a shock, and snow caused much worry and, yes, even
fear. One day, when speaking to someone very familiar with living in a snowy environment, she referred to snow as beautiful.
This idea began to open my eyes to the idea that if God made snow, well, then it must be stated in Genesis. I began to try to notice its beautiful qualities ,and when it felt fun to walk in, even!
Although I have more praying to do, I’m very grateful to feel less afraid about the forecast to
the forecast now, knowing I’m always safe in His great care for all.
it (snow) must be good, as stated in Genisis.
I don’t know if anyone remembers that there used to be a greetings card
available called “WHERE’S WALLY?. He was to be found in the middle of a
huge crowd of people. The cards kept coming out with different scenarios,
always with Wally somewhere in the huge crowd of people. After getting
to know how to recognise Wally, it became easier to spot him.
Looking for joy in spiritual terms, we need to get familiar
with what true joy looks and feels like – to know where it is found. So we have
to utilise our God-given spiritual senses and look for all the signs of
God’s spiritual goodness, love, harmony and beauty to be all around us
and everywhere at all times in sunshine or in snow., and rejoice in everything
good that we see, giving continual thanks to God – even when, and particularly
when, there seems nothing to be joyful about according to the physical senses.
After a while, as we recognise all the good and joyful things that we seeking,
they displace the dark, depressing suggestions of materiality, and we find the joy that Christ said he had given us and that no-one could take away. So we can be sure, when
we are searching for joy in the midst of gloomy suggestions, that joy is always present, included
in every one of us, so we can claim it, and let it unfold before us. In this way ,we find we are able to recognise joy more easily, just as we found Wally when we knew what we were looking for.M
ILOVE your point of view and agree with you wholeheartedly! If you look for the good, no matter what the appearance of the situation, no matter how bleak, you will ALWAYS find the good in it. It is always there. That has been my experience throughout my 75+ years on this planet. I have faced many a dark night of the soul in my 75 years, most always due to my own poor choices and always producing some glorious insight or ray of sunshine that was life changing in the end. It was almost always in retrospect that I could see that good, but as time went on and I was CERTAIN the good was there if I just kept looking, it appeared more and more quickly following the “bad” event, sometimes even in the moment. Attitude counts for SO much in life. It affects our physical health, our work environment, our ability to earn money and make good decisions. Truly, it sets the intention for your entire life. Best to set that intention rightly, for good, for Truth, for Love, for Joy. Why not? You have a CHOICE!
Yes! I love this conversation. I have also had many DNOS’s (Dark Nights Of The Soul!) and could never have made it through to happily, newly married to a spiritual man at 71 without practicing these principles.
Thank you Evan. Rainfall and sunshine is good.These elements of weather bring joy.At all times we can feel the love of God and be happy.Genesis1:31. And God saw all that he had made and behind it was very good.
Joyful. This reminded me if a story I once heard, of a “Little old church lady” who’s view of life was always so positive, no matter the circumstances. She never, once, had said anything negative about anyone. One day, a challenge was given her when someone asked her to say something positive about the Devil. After some contemplation, the woman said, “He minds his own business.”
Joy is inside us all. We only need to tap it.
I love that, Jim – his business is nothing to do with reality, so we can let him deal with his
own illusions.which get nobody anywhere. We can then mind our own joyful spiritual business
as this dear lady obviously was doing.
Thank you Evan, and Maggie for such splendid reminders of what real joy is. This is a good transition into the weekend where we do experience the wonders of snow filled yards and streets. The wonder of Light!
Thanks a lot Evan sir for spreading joy always and abundantly.
l am loving the comments shared about joy being a constant view. I liken it as a child who sees the world around him and expresses such joy and contemplates how to enjoy the wonder he sees.
Thank you Evan for this journey in JOY finding.
Thank you very much Evan! Yes Joy is spiritual, how good. Because then it is permanent and a part of me as a child of God.
And “the Joy that non can take away is mine; I walk with Love today”. Part of hymn 139. I love that hymn, it starts “I walk with Love along the way. And O, it is a holy day.”
Thanks again for this healing advice to choose Joy. It was needed, because as soon as I read this in the morning I immediately did joyful some neccessary arrends outside by car.
Love and Joy to all today!!!
Thank you dear Uta! This is a favorite hymn too, and I love that you refer to joy as spiritual, and as a permanent part of us as a children of God. :-). Joyful weekend to all!
Uta. Danka.
I love this message and the analogy; it’s so clear and so applicable to everything in life! Thank you.
“Decisive joy” by Madora Kibbe,….”We can choose joy by rejecting every thought that is unlike joy.”
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/98kw9lr1a8?s=copylink
Thank you for this glowing article!
A wonderful article J. thank you very much for sharing it.
Oh it’s needed and blissful to talk about real Joy. This wonderful passage from J’s article stands very much out to me, so that I wrote it down:”The source of our joy isn’t us. It’s God. When we express joy, we are actually reflecting God.” Such a healing truth thought.
Dear J thank you very much for this and all links to all the enlightening articles, you are sending us!♡♡♡
Absolutely!!! I agree with you 100%. Recently a Christian Science Branch Church presented a public lecture about “Moving Past Fear to Healing”. Although I was unable to attend the lecture, looking at the advertising flyer with that title emblazoned on it, made me so joyful and thankful for my study of Christian Science. Thank you for such a concise reminder to not be dragged down by materiality.
I love this topic of continuous joy that we so wonderfully can express! I love snow,
as it is like a blanket of beauty that warms our Soul and covers the landscape, that
at the time may seem barren and brown. (Shoveling not so much … lol )
Looking at snow, like a glass half full or half empty, positively or negatively, can be
limiting, Because we can always Refill the glass or keep it Full with pure Love.
I don’t think I can do the emoji here on my computer, but I am sending a
heart felt Smile right now for this very uplifting topic and for these joyful
thoughts. : )
I love this time of the year. Where I live, the leaves have left the trees, after their spectacular season of color and I can watch squirrels making their nests, beautiful little birds flying through the leafless branches and landing where they can been seen better, without the leaves. A real joy to see them so clearly. Their beautiful, sweet singing shows me they are joyful each day too!!! Thank you dear Father for the different seasons of your year. This season is like black and white photography. Today, grey skies are the backdrop for the small leafless branches and huge tree trunks to show their beauty against that background. The little birds who come to the water sources I have out for them put in a joyful show for me as I watch them come for a drink and take their baths. The rain that has been coming frequently is like a cleansing to me and helps me remember to daily cleanse my thought of any negative thinking I need to dispose of.
I find great joy and gratitude to God for this restful, beautiful season … and can look forward to His next plan …. Spring with the new leaves popping out in brand new colorful green, the cleansing rain having generously watered the ground, making ready for all the lovely colorful flowers, new plants and colorful trees to pop up joyfully and grateful for this season of peaceful rest. We can learn many good lessons from this season. God is so Good and his Plan always has a good reason behind it, even when our “human” side may not see it … our joy comes when we Know it!!
Evan, your Spirit View today, has sent my thought in a wonderful way today and I Thank You!!
Much love to you ALL,
caydee
Good morning. I will be traveling to Reno on the Amtrak Zephyr – from Sacramento on next Monday morning, and staying overnight. I am so looking forward to all of the joy that a train ride thru the Sierra’s with all of the beautiful snow will bring. I am so grateful to God for all the snow we have received we have received this year. It means a beautiful spring and great summer.
Thank you Evan for your wonderful Spirit View today.
Thank you all for these uplifting thoughts! I love to think of each snowflake as being perfectly formed, unique. This helps me to see the tragedy in Syria and Turkey in the light of each individual’s purity, wholeness, and permanence as an expression of divine Life’s and Love’s ever-present power — to bless every one of God’s precious ideas.
I find today’s Daily Lift helpful in elevating thought above the material scenes to what in reality Spirit is actually seeing — the joys of Soul.
Thank you Evan for the reminder that Joy is within us, not something to be sought from the outside. So empowering to know we hold the keys to the kingdom because we can CHOOSE Joy, choose to turn towards it, to turn to God at any time.
I have so much enjoyed todays Spirit View and the comments shared by all of you. Thank you for helping me to see that regardless of the physical circumstances continually confronting us, how we react or feel towards them is solely up to us. Having a positive attitude filled with as much joy as we can muster will make the experience so much better if not more enjoyable.
Thank you, Evan!
How lovely it is to feel the Love here on SV with all the uplifting comments about giving and receiving joy in everything we feel, do and say. Thank you Evan and all.
I can never escape from your ( joyful ) Spirit! I can never get away from your ( joyful ) presence!
Pam 139 v 7 NLT with a little insert from me❣️
Yes, joy is a choice!
Your name is a kind of combo of joy and choice!
Ha ha…you might not have meant the repeats Joyce…but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of repetition as a reminder❣️
My husband moved from his hometown where there was much rain but little snow. If it did snow, people were afraid because of the many hills and little snow removal equipment. His new home had about 15 feet of snow per year. He felt constantly negative about winter weather until he saw an episode on one of his favorite TV shows-Northern Exposure. At the first sign of flakes in the fall, people stopped what they were doing and went out and rejoiced, smiling at each other and looking up at the sky with their hands up. He suddenly realized there was another way. He changed his attitude. He learned to cross country ski. He loved the snow.
As far as clearing snow, I have started praying ahead to know it’s a right idea of God to clear snow for walking and driving. A right idea is already complete. No time is involved, all the strength is in God. So as I am before the task, I will be after. Just as rested, safe, unharmed and joyful. So grateful for SV inspiration and supportive comments.
I like this. Thank you.