God My Exceeding Joy
To say that this week has been a rough one would be yet another on the ever growing list of understatements in our "Life with Autism, Seizures, and this week, a side of Unemployment."
Just like that, the company my husband has worked for, for so many years, laid him off. It wouldn't really be a big deal for those our age, if we had empty nest like most at this stage. But we have autism. And autism is a ravenous beast the devours money whether you have any or not.
My husband and I have been so very humbled by the outpouring of love and encouragement. From those who have been there and done that, from those who hope to never be there and have to do that, and from all in between.
But one e-mail I received this morning from a fellow warrior mom who knows hardship, touched me deeply. I was derailed last week in keeping up with these "Names of God" for my Lent study, and her e-mail was the perfect one to resume this with...
She wrote:
“Pleasure is associated with the body; for instance, we feel pleasure after a good meal. Joy is of the heart, and it comes from a good conscience. Joy hears music on the inside even when discords are ringing outside. Pleasure depends on outward circumstances, for example, wealth, friends, and wine, and therefore it can be obliterated by the slightest toothache. Joy is independent of outward circumstances; it can be felt even in adversity and pain.”
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen
I really liked that so I looked to see if there was a name of God for "Joy" - and there is.
El Simchah Giyl - God My Exceeding Joy
Psalm 43 highlights this week well and how even in the toughest of circumstances, God is still God. We find joy in trusting in him despite our circumstances.
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
To say that Psalmist was having a bad day is putting it lightly. It must have been a warrior mom of autism who wrote that, - one whose husband was just unjustly laid off by a deceitful and wicked person who wants the whole company to be outsourced.
(Sorry, I digress....)
If you read that Psalm again, it is all anguish, but right there in the middle of it all, we find joy. "Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight."
How very often that has been true in our life with autism and seizures. How in the middle of the mayhem and madness - the Messiah manages to show us joy. Not just any joy, but double joy. I read where that name of God can be translated as saying "God my joyful joy."
Right there in the pit, he finds joy.
Exceeding joy at that.
Oh what comfort that brings when you find yourself in circumstances that are anything but comforting.
___
So satan, silly, silly, satan, -- you can try to steal one son's dream, another son's health, our job, our car, our house, our savings, our everything. You can steal it all, but you will never steal our joy. It comes from God, not this world or anything in it.
It is as untouchable to you as our HOPEISM.
NDCQ
HOOYAH!
