Life in quarantine has been tragic for me as an Enneagram Type 7. There’s nothing spontaneous or exciting to do, and fun is just a three-letter word. I stooped to a whole new low when I almost went to bed at 7pm the other night, because … “What’s the point?!” Thankfully my husband pulled me out of my boredom and suggested we play Boggle. (He’s my hero.)
In case you don’t know what a Type 7 is I’ll explain it in my best “7 language” below:
“Sevens are EXTROVERTED, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are playful, HIGH-SPIRITED and constantly seek new and EXCITING experiences!!!!!!!!!!”
(Count the exclamation marks, friends …. There probably could’ve been a few more.)
7s are big and bold, and they like to use exclamation points and emojis because writing normal words is just so blasé. In school I used to get teased for this because people assumed I was “faking my fun.” What a load of baloney. Life IS fun, people!!!!! (Just as long as you can try new things and experience spontaneity …… of which I can’t do anymore …… and why my 7 is slowly dying.)
There is much to be learned in boredom adversity, though. I mean, I had no idea that my desire for “fun” was a crutch until it got pulled away from me and I was forced to face my worst fears of becoming The Truman Show. (Seriously, why can’t my dopamine be Doritos?)
But the pain of #quarantinelife has made me realize that I can’t expect to find everlasting happiness on earth. My fun will always come to an end; and while I *could* keep chasing MORE of the same, the only thing I should be chasing is God.
PIC
Intellectually I know this to be true, but this pandemic has thrown me for a loop ……. how do I experience God’s joy when I can’t DO anything to change my circumstances?
I can’t go to church; I can’t pray or worship corporately; I can’t eat donuts while listening to a DJ drop a beat in the Substance foyer (both, of which, bring me intense joy.) But God isn’t bound to a building or worship format, right? So why would I assume his JOY would be?? Simply put:
Everlasting joy isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing LESS.
When all of my “fun” got stripped away, I realized I needed to be ok if I could never have fun again. After all, if I say God is enough, then that has to be true (otherwise why say it?!) So for weeks I’ve taken my boredom to him and have asked this one question: what does it mean to find joy in God alone?
Here’s what he impressed upon me:
Salvation = joy. The end. It’s real basic and doesn’t have to be overcomplicated. Simply put, we have joy because we have eternal life.
God’s joy is LOVE. “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). But what does that really mean? I researched it further and found that the joy of the Lord is his unfailing and everlasting LOVE for us, and that is what gives us strength.
There is a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). A time for crying and a time for laughing. A time to embrace and a time for social distancing. Regardless of the season, joy is still possible because of #1 and #2.
Therefore, JOY has very little to do with how I’m feeling. In fact, it’s the exact opposite! It’s about choosing to worship God amidst my pain (and boredom) because God is good and he died for me. This is good news! I realize it’s still an abstract concept, especially if you don’t know if you believe in God, but at the very least you have to admit that ever-present joy sounds intriguing. And that’s what I’ve found.
When I’ve drawn closer to him, he draws closer to me (James 4:8). I then experience his loving peace which, in turn, builds my faith and gives me JOY! It’s not the “7 kind of joy”, though; it’s HIS joy, which is so much better.
PIC
And NOW…for some fun! I developed a little A-Z Quarantine Hunt for you to do with your kids in the car. (Because don’t you miss having places to go??!?!?!)
It’s real simple:
Pick one place on the list and drive there with your family.
When you arrive, get out of the car and take a picture to commemorate your awesome-ness.
Pick a few more spots to visit if you have time. (And let’s be real, time is all we have these days.)
Post a few pics on social and tag me. Do my 7 proud!
LOVE, JONNA
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