Praying for What I Already Had...

I have been challenged to make my words fewer and more to the point. So here goes. For years, I have been asking God for joy. I wanted to be defined by joy, radiate joy, leave a legacy of joy...you get the idea. Then today during my quiet time, it struck me that....I Already Have JOY! Because joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit living in me. But like a weak muscle that needs toning and workouts, my joy muscle is weak. I don't exercise it as I should. I exalt the problem surrounding me instead of Christ. I exalt myself by wallowing in worry or sadness or some other ungodly mindset. Yet if I would lift up my eyes to the Savior who reigns over all of life's circumstances, I would be "flexing" my joy muscle. How I do that is by faith, choosing to believe God at His Word...to fulfill His promises to never leave or forsake me. And I had the chance to "flex" joy yesterday when my husband and I discussed the very real possibility of a pay cut and/or job loss due to the downward-spiraling retail world. Though it was a fight, I fought, and thank God for His grace to do so. The very thing I've been praying for has been right in front of me all the time. I simply need to exercise it. What are you praying for that may already be right in front of you? What is God saying to you?