Joy? Right now? Really?!?

Nehemiah 8:10b says "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
All of us, (assuming you're human), go through tough times; whether it's loneliness, discouragement, pain, worries....the list goes on!  It's sometimes hard to remember to be joyful in those times, but if there's anything I've learned this week, it's been joy.  Sure, it's so easy to be full of joy when a toddler gives you a kiss, when everything goes the way you want it, or when that certain person gives you a look.  But when your car breaks down and the mechanic won't be there for another hour and you're going to miss your flight; how often if your first thought a thought of joy?  Uh huh.  I didn't think so!  Staying up late, only to wake up early to the sound of children crying doesn't really encourage joyful thoughts in my mind, and I will be the first to admit that I fail at opening my mouth and being joyful at moments like that.  But God has changed my point of view this week!!  I have begun to realize that not only is it a good thing to be joyful, but over and over in the Bible, there are passages about praising the Lord!  It's not a new thing; it's been around since the beginning, but I'm finally starting to understand how important it is.  Look at this; in Psalm 5:11 David says, "But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You: let them ever shout for joy, because You defended them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You."  Psalm 35:9 says, "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation."  And, (this is one of my favorites) "Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!  They walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance."  Over half of the Psalms contain parts about praising the Lord; how could I have missed this before??  I guess it's just been one of those obvious things that I've just breezed by, but now I know better.

Do you remember the story of Corrie ten Boom?  She and her sister were in a Nazi concentration camp and their barracks were plauged with lice.  Corrie complained about the lice; about how they left bumps, and how they itched, and how annoying they were.  But day after day, Corrie held Bible studies and they never got caught; in fact, no guard ever came near their barracks!  The mystery was solved one day when a guard was overheard saying, "I don't go in there because of the lice".  Corrie realized then that she had a reason to thank God for something that seemed like a pest, but was really a blessing.

Ok, so maybe you're thinking "How is Johnny breaking his leg a blessing?!"  I'm not saying that every teeny thing that goes wrong is a blessing in disguise, but training yourself in the simple act of praising God is the main thing.  Learning to be joyful and praise Him during the good times in your life, insures that when things are rough, you will continue to have a joyful soul and a heart full of praise.  So this week, when your husband has to stay late at work, or your car breaks down, find something to praise God for.  It doesn't have to be big; thank Him for the fact that you have a husband who comes home to you, or thank Him that you have the resources to have a car.  In every situation find something to praise Him for, because chances are, your joy will be noticed.
<3 Mik