Joy in June
Because God’s Still Around
Joy in June, you ask? Pride Parades. Drag Shows. Brand Buycotts. Baseball Teams Canceled. Social Media Mania. Welcome to Pride Month.
Are you having trouble finding joy in the month of June? June used to be one of my favorite months. It’s the true start of summer, which means sunny days, school’s out, and hopefully a fun road trip around the corner. I recently read that Pride month has been around for ten years, but I don’t think most of us were paying much attention. My first recollection of really taking note of the takeover of June was in 2020. The Pride parades, along with the BLM riots, caught our attention as we isolated in our homes because of the virus. Virtual DEI training became mandatory at many companies. “Pride” had my attention.
God’s Here, Always
Finding joy in June gets harder every year. We should work hard to not let the craziness of our culture steal our joy because God is still here.
And he’s staying here. Right here with you and me. Isn’t that such a comfort? Hebrews 13:8 reminds us:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Jesus, our redeemer, and the Gospel, our guidebook, don’t change. The message from 2000 years ago is just as sweet and clear today if you have “ears to hear”.
We should feel so much joy and gratitude knowing we are loved and saved, even when the world continues to look like it’s spinning out of control.
Anger Steals Joy Too
I know there are Christians who are saying terrible and hurtful things to the Pride community. I don’t agree with hateful methods, but I have great respect for those speaking truth and bringing change to protect women and children. Part of the struggle of being joyful is the sorrow we feel for people who are so incredibly lost. Anger also rises up to steal the joy. There are so many injustices making us angry, the sexualization of our children being at the top. If ever there was a time we need to be daily reading our Bibles and asking God for wisdom, it is now!
James sums it up nicely, reminding us that joy is different than being happy. It grows the more we grow in our trials and seek God’s wisdom. The Message translation shifts our mindset even more by replacing “joy” with “sheer gift.”
When was the last time you saw an LGBTQ flag and thought of it as a sheer gift! God is working through us, continuing to show us joy in the journey of life, even as we currently tread through the month of June.
Joy = Less Media
If there was ever a month you might need a Screen Sabbatical, it’s June! Go back and read my post on this concept. The main purpose is to choose to spend less time on your phone, tv, laptop, etc., and more time in the Word. It brings you closer to the people around you and helps you build stronger relationships because you aren’t distracted.
One of the things I love about our move to Florida is we go to the beach at least once a week. Sometimes it’s in the evening just to watch the sunset. When I’m at the beach, the only time I pull out my phone is to snap a picture. I feel truly sorry for the folks walking along the shore, staring down at their phones. The beauty they are missing! It takes me back to a time when we didn’t carry our phones everywhere as an extra appendage. For me, a phone can really steal my joy and sometimes I don’t realize until the time has passed and I have missed something special due to my distraction.
Yes, God is at the beach! But he is also anywhere you are, taking in the creation around you and enjoying the people you are with.
Redeem Your Time
Decide what you want to do with your time. Let go of thoughts and things that are not serving you well. If the news this month is just making you mad and upset, don’t watch it. You really aren’t missing much. If your instagram feed is full of reels that make you anxious and worry for the future; take the app off your phone. If going into Target makes you mad, don’t go! We have so much more control over our lives than we realize. God will honor your choices that bring you closer to him.
Scripture to Feed On for Joy in June
I want to leave you with a list of verses to read this month. When you feel the world’s craziness more than God’s goodness, go to these scriptures for reminders that God is with you. May they lift you up and give you joy.
Happy reading, and memorizing too!
You are precious in his sight,
