We Ought To Always Rejoice

Phi 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (KJV)

I try to take a “glass half full” attitude. For instance, recently I took a bad fall and cracked a bone in my lower back. This was something I did not particularly need on top of my other health issues. But very quickly I realized that the fractured bone in my back could have been much worse, indeed, the emergency room doctor told me that very thing. So I have tried to keep in mind the fact that God protected me from something even worse.

It is not easy to maintain a right attitude, and I sometimes fail to do so, but the other option is to live a life of constant complaint and negativity, and there is nothing helpful or encouraging in that, for after the initial release of our complaint--the fact remains that we must somehow face the future, and we need a good attitude to do so. We have the privilege of pouring out our complaints to God, and that can be helpful as He is generally the only one who can truly do anything about our problems, but then comes faith and trust on our part. 

 

Very often our vision is so limited that we truly cannot see all the paths before us. That traffic delay could be the very thing that helped us to avoid a collision if we had not been delayed. What is seen as a nuisance could be the very thing that saves our lives. That is not being over dramatic, for we know that God watches over His children, and His angels guard and protect us from harm. Knowing that truth, we can begin to look a bit further along and understand that our times are truly in His hands.

Psa 31:14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

Psa 31:15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

Psa 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. (KJV)

Sometimes it is hard to rejoice when pressure and problems are pressing in, but we are not a people without hope or help--our help comes from the Lord.

Psa 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

Psa 44:26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (KJV)

This week, when you are tempted to focus on your difficulties and problems, when your troubles seem to be mounting, remember that you have help from above, a Lord who loves you, who is looking out for you, and then try to count your blessings instead of your difficulties, try to see the cup half full, and rejoice.

Dear Lord, life’s challenges sometimes seem overwhelming, it can feel like we are constantly paddling upstream, but help us to never forget that You are our hope and our help. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

copyright 2016