food for thought

Count it all joy!

The days we are exhausted, the days you are sick, the day's you're sad and hurting. How do we do that? For most of us our minds do not put hardships and joy as going hand in hand. It is like trying to make two positives or two negatives attract. Hmmm we all know you have to have a positive and a negative to get a connection with batteries, magnets, protons and yes even people! Yet we do not like it when someone apposes our point of view we are offended and feel attack! So lets see Count it all joy um no still can't feel that one and that is the problem and the answer! We equivocate our feelings with joy. Joy being a deeper form of happiness, so happy, sad opposites right? We would never know what it is to feel joy if we have no idea what if feels to be sad or angry. So let's see, Count it all joy! not (feel) it all joy. We work and strive to have joy in our lives, we want to be happy all the time and not have hardships, live the American dream right? but what does the word say? "In this world you will have tribulation, BUT my peace I leave with you." When someone has offended you do you feel peace? I doubt most of us do and yet I have been around a few that let almost every offense roll off their back. They have either a very high opinion of themselves, or very tough skin, or perhaps they have learned to walk in the presence of God my friend. Our problem is not other people, it is instead where we seek our joy and peace. Do we seek it in people, or the things of this world? As believers we all know we are not going to find it there so why do we keep so busy at trying to achieve it. "Come to me all who are weary and heavy burden and I will give thee rest." With rest comes peace and we can have that rest and peace in the midst of our circumstances if we are willing to Count it all joy! " My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." Negative, positive they go together, we would not know we had such a great need for God if we were just happy with no mountains to climb. We will all climb some pretty steep cliffs in our lives and we can either let fear and heart ache grip us and paralyze us from moving forward or we can equipped our minds for the journey in the truth of the word. I don't know about you but put me on a steep cliff and I want a safety harness. "Lo I will never leave you"; I'm for one taking that straight to the bank to deposit! This world is full of unknowns and tribulations so why are we looking to this world for our peace and joy? It makes no sense at all. Yet the minute we quit looking at the world through the truth of God's word we become offended hurt and miserable and believe the lies the world shoves down our throats of happiness and wonder off to go exhaust ourselves. How deep is the love and patience of our Father indeed. You and I have a choice to make every moment of every day in every situation . " Turn your eyes upon Jesus , look whole in His wonderful face and the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." Only then will we be able to count it all joy despite our circumstances.

Heavenly Father I pray we will not hesitate to run to you and live. Let us feel your loving nudge when we choose to curl up in the pain of our circumstances and die, give us the strength, courage, and wisdom to stay in your presence knowing the fullness of your love which is the fullness of our joy! Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new stregth they will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Amen Love to all in Christ Jesus C:)