A Prayer about Celebrating Joyfully

Lord,

I love how theologian Tom Wright translates Philippians 4:4

and what he teaches us about joy in his advent devotional:

Joy goes “hand in hand with hope:

it doesn’t mean that everything is already just as it should be,
only that with Jesus now enthroned as Lord we know it eventually will get there.”

(Advent for Everyone, A Journey with the Apostles).

He encourages us to feel the depth of our human emotions,

including grief, because Jesus did.

Today and every day of this week,

I pray for my friends and for myself

May we celebrate the joy Jesus brings,

even if we’re feeling sad or frustrated or lonely,

knowing this is not the way it will always be,

because you sent your Son into the world to make all things,

including our emotions, new.

In Jesus’ hope-bringing name. Amen.