I was up quite early this morning and I have been enjoying the quiet. I asked the Lord, as I so often do, what will this day have in store? Sometimes He gives me a glimpse into my day but most of the time it is a walk of faith.
God has given us the power to set the tone of our day by the choices we make. We can get up dreading what may come or we can choose to be joyful no matter what may come. I’m not talking about an empty-headed, irresponsible or irrational type of mindless thought. Not at all. But I am saying if we focus on God’s greatness and love, we will be able to handle anything that invades our day and still remain joyful.
“But let all who put their trust in You be glad. Let them sing with joy forever. You make a covering for them, that all who love Your name may be glad in You. 12 For You will make those happy who do what is right, O Lord. You will cover them all around with Your favor.” Psalm 5:11-12 NLV
Each one of us have multiple opportunities each day to lose our joy. They can come via email, text, phone call, personal interaction or old memories. It’s up to us whether we allow those things to steal our joy.
“May honor and thanks be given to the Lord, because He has heard my prayer. 7 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. 8 The Lord is the strength of His people. He is a safe place for His chosen one.” Psalm 28:6-8 NLV
Right before Jesus was crucified He was talking to his disciples and He told them things were going to get bad. In fact, He said that all of them would leave him; when he needed them the most they would abandon Him. However, He went on to say, the Father would be with Him so He wouldn’t be alone. That my friend is a reason to have peace and joy. When we’re in the Father’s presence there is reason for joy.
“Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-33 NKJV
What I hear Jesus saying is this, “you are going to face troubles, trials and disappointments but keep your joy and stay close to Me because I have overcome all that the world can throw at you”. That’s my paraphrase on those verses.
There isn’t anything too big for God, there isn’t anything that He can’t handle so today I will choose joy and in that joy I will find strength.
“Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV