Raccoons and Joy Stealers

Last week Dom and I heard some noise from our neighbour's house during the night.

Only...they weren't home.

So we went to investigate and found a family of raccoons rummaging around looking for food.  There were 6 babies with their mother!

The eyes of the Raccoon family on our neighbour's fence

Raccoons are incredible scavengers and will take whatever they can get.  They are more of a pest for us as they make a mess when they go through the trash (even if they are pretty cute).  We put bricks on top of our garbage can and can see scratches all around the plastic lid from their efforts to get in.  They will steal whatever we leave out and keep coming back if they find unprotected food sources.

As Christians we have to watch out for spiritual scavengers that can steal our joy in the same way.  Right now we are living in a time where we are bombarded with bad news.  Worry can grow as we focus on the situation we are in.  Worry can lead to doubt and fear which will eat away at the peace and joy that Christ gave us.

So how do we protect our joy?

Jesus tells us this: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:9-11)

Jesus did the work for us already - we just have to stay with Him.  What a relief!  He has set up protection that nothing can get past with His love.  When we abide with Him we stay under His protection.  When we understand the love of God for us, by really seeing that it is personal, it is direct, it is tangible, it is beyond anything we can think of or experience, it is given to us for always, it is REAL...then we see that God is here! God is with us while we are in this situation and that is something to be joyful about!

When you start to worry, choose joy!  Choose to abide in God's love!