I’ve been thinking a lot about the meaning of a name. In the Bible, God used names to describe who someone would be and to define them. Even in choosing names today, parents often look at the meaning of a name when they choose the right one for their child.
Since my name is Joy it’s pretty easy to figure out what my name means. My parents gave me that name after they had just experienced losing a child before me. My dad says that God turned their mourning to rejoicing when they found out that they were pregnant again with a baby girl. God brought joy back into their lives, so naturally they named me Joy.
As beautiful as that story is, my name has weighed on me over the years. I am meant to literally bring joy and if you have ever met me then you know that I normally do that. However, the pressure to always bring joy to others has exhausted me in my adult years. I never want to let my family down or share my problems with others because then I would not be giving joy.
God has been showing me that although our names can be important, they do not have to define us. I can not always expect myself to bring joy to others. This ridiculous standard in my life needs to go! No one can be the definition of their name all the time and that’s ok!