So often we cannot see the
whole forest because of the few trees in the front, which are blocking our
view. We focus on the individual circumstances in our life and stress out over
them, forgetting that God has the big picture in mind. He saw all of our days
in front of Him before we were ever born (Psalm 139:16). Sometimes, God decides not to give us what we pray
for, because an immediate positive outcome may thwart the end result, which He
has planned for our situation. He can see where these events are leading us,
because He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10; Ecclesiastes 3:11).
What we learn after a few
years of God’s intervention in our life, is that all of life’s grief actually
provides the seeds for a beautiful garden of true joy, peace and fulfillment,
if we will only avail our self to the comfort God provides (Isaiah
57:18). Our attitude about the situation
we face makes all the difference in our positive transition through it. When we
persevere in our trials, God provides us with the crown of life (James
1:12). God has great and mighty things
to show us because He is awesome and He keeps His loving covenant with us (Jeremiah
33:3; Nehemiah 9:32).
When we trust God regardless
of the circumstances, we face life from the shelter of His wings, where we find
refuge and a fortress (Psalm 91:2).
We are on a journey to joy (Psalm 43:4). The fruit of His Spirit in our spirit and soul
overrides our penchant for melancholic fits of depression and hopelessness. The
joy of the Lord is readily available as our strength through the most crushing
of experiences (Nehemiah 8:10). This
supernatural bliss flows out of our spirit, infiltrates our soul – our mind,
choices and emotions. It shines out through our countenance, as we put our hope in God,
regardless of the events in our life. We praise Him as our God and Savior (Psalm 43:5).
Gratitude is the true
catalyst for joy. To feel joyful, we must first be thankful. When we thank God
for what He did for us in the past, we have more joy during what He is doing
now, and we have hope and faith that He will work out everything in our future
for our good as well (Romans 8:28).
Joy fills us when we come to understand God’s love and favor. His comforts
delight our soul (Psalm 94:19). Even
in our times of sorrow, His joy always flows through us (2
Corinthians 6: 10). In His presence we
find abundant joy and with His right hand He provides us with pleasures now and
in eternity (Psalm 16:11).
Prayer:
Father God, even when
heartache annihilates our soul, Your joy gives us a contented heart and happy
face (Proverbs 15:13; John 16:22).
When we shrivel up with discouragement and endure a crushed spirit, You send
people our way to encourage us at just the right time (Proverbs
15:23, 17:22). Your joy and gladness
overwhelm us and all of our sorrow and grief disappear (Isaiah 35:10). You fortify our soul with Your strength (Psalm
138:3). You keep our head above the
waters of adversity, which surround us in this life (John
17:13). We cry with inexpressible and
glorious joy at Your provision, and we sing with melodies in our heart to You (1 Peter
1:9; Psalm 27:6, 118:24).
Thought for the Day:
Everything looks different to us once we remember
that Jesus lives life for us and through us and God leads us in His peace (Isaiah 55:12). 