Overcoming Foreboding Joy

 But the angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. - Luke 2:10-11

Good news. All people. Great joy. Savior. It just doesn’t get much better than this.

Brene Brown coined the phrase ‘foreboding joy’ - that hesitation we feel when we suspect that joy may be coming to us. We want to guard ourselves from the letdown, so we never let the joy in. We live in fear of disappointment, which inhibits our ability to experience goodness and happiness. No wonder the angel started off with, “Do not be afraid!” Maybe it wasn’t just fear of the heavenly host that the shepherds were facing - but the fear of God not coming through. Can you relate?

This day of all days, what would it be like to just let yourself fall into joy, to surrender to whatever goodness there is in your life and whatever promise there is for God to come through for you in the future? Maybe, just for today, you could feel it all deeply. You could breathe it all in and embrace it. You could be joyful.