UNPACK This...Finding Lasting JoySample

Bringing Joy Back to Baseball

Upon entering Major League Baseball, Fernando Tatis Jr. quickly established himself as one of the best baseball players in the world.

The son of a former Major Leaguer, Tatis possesses tremendous physical tools, but it is another quality that makes him stand out: his joy.

ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote a long feature about Fernando with the headline, "Bringing Joy Back to Baseball." In the article, he wrote the following:

"Whether he's manning shortstop for the San Diego Padres or he's away from the field, Tatis is dancing and gabbing and dapping and gesticulating, so perpetually in motion that he's a thermodynamic anomaly…He radiates joy."

Padres general manager A.J. Preller added, "He does everything with energy and passion."

Joy is contagious and uplifting in both sports and life. But with so much negativity all around us, it can be hard to remain joyful and find genuinely joyful people.

As followers of Jesus, we can choose joy even when things are going wrong. It comes down to our perspective and the Source of our joy.

When we value the development of our faith, we can even view trials and difficulties as an opportunity to experience joy. We don't have to be happy about our hardships, but we can be joyful in knowing God is working in and through us.

When we follow Jesus and submit to the Holy Spirit, joy will overflow in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) explains, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law."

We ultimately find a long-lasting joy because of God's Spirit within us. Jesus tells us that when we abide in Him, stay connected to the Source, and obey His commands, then we will bear much fruit.

He says, "I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing" (John 15:11; AMP).

Today, if we're lacking joy, let's walk in the Spirit that produces it instead of allowing the disappointments to sap it from us.

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to live in the Spirit and bear fruit. I pray that I will remain joyful even in the face of hardships. I know lasting joy comes from You. It's in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.