Is there joy in the routine of life?

Life can be exciting at times but most of our days seem so repetitive. Even the good changes in our lives can become a dreadful routine. For the world, escaping the mundane means promiscuity, drunkenness, and substance abuse. As Christians, we know that using those means of breaking away from the monotony of life will only cause us to feel empty and burdened as a result, so we know there’s something else we should turn to. What is it? Though life can sometimes feel like a meaningless routine, I have found that I am more prone to stop enjoying life when I start to lose focus. When I allow the busyness of life to dictate the way I live, I start to feel unfulfilled. A sure indicator that your relationship with God is burning low is when you are looking for earthly things to satisfy your soul. When you’re truly in love with God, even the smallest things in life become a delight. Instead of being ungrateful for having to wake up early in the morning for example, you joyfully arise before having to go to work because you are so eager to hear from God and to experience His presence. Instead of getting aggravated when something goes wrong during your day, you are thankful that you have the chance to rely on God and to show His peace and confidence through your life. The first thing to ask yourself when you start to lose your joy is, “Am I making God my everything?” God wants our entire hearts and lives and He sometimes causes us to experience emptiness when He wants us to seek Him above all else. A practical way to refocus your life is by making prayer and Bible reading the most important priority of your days. When our soul is nurtured, we are fulfilled. When it starves, we lack joy, peace, and purpose. The Psalmist says, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7). Psalm 16:11 also says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Spending time with God gives us true fulfillment and living a life according to the Bible brings real satisfaction. “[God’s] testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart” (Psalm 110:111). When we live lives of humility we “…obtain fresh joy in the Lord…” (Isaiah 29:19). The world is meaningless and empty and we can only find our joy in the eternal, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). The Bible is absolutely clear about the fact that, as Christians, we have the surest secret to joy- living close to God by seeking His presence daily and aligning our hearts and lives after His Word. Yes, we can find joy even in the routine of life when God is at the center of our daily existence!