...running the course God sets before us, no matter the cost, no matter the task, to the end, for His glory
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Monday, November 16, 2009

Be joyful always? Really? ALWAYS?

Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.     -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-

When God say always does He really mean ALWAYS?  Like ALL the time?  No matter what? Without exception?  Every time?  Every circumstance?  Could He possible mean THAT?
I mean- how is that even possible.  Today I woke up with the remain of a migraine that will not quite go away that has interposed on my sleep for two nights.  Was I supposed to joyful with THAT?
This afternoon I was ready to strangle someone I love very much.  Someone I have cared and nurtured for many years.  Was I supposed to be joyful THEN?
When I got home a car wouldn't start and we had to jump it.  Was I supposed to be joyful THEN?
Then I finally got inside, out of the cold wind (was I supposed to be joyful when I was cold?) and was met at the door with a "We have something to tell you" and the look from the supervising sibling that communicated that serious parental intervention was required.  Then? Was I supposed to be joyful THEN?
REALLY?
Yes. Really!  I was.  Supposed to be that is.  I wasn't.  Joyful I mean.  How could God expect me to feel joy in all these circumstances?  Uh-  well-  I guess He didn't command me to feel anything.  He really just commanded me to BE something and He was gracious enough to tell me how.
Praying continually. Being thankful.  If I am supposed to be praying continually then it must mean that I am going to need a lot more of God and a lot less of me in order to be joyful.
And if I am "giving thanks in all things" I am going to be awfully busy.  In fact I will have little time left over for feeling sorry for myself or feeling angry at a mistake or feeling envious of another's abundance.
So I think I better have a "do over" today- Thank you Lord for the headache: thank You that I have to slow down, and for medicine that can work, and family that cares that I am in pain.  Thank you Lord for the mistake of my child: thank You for the opportunity for a lesson to be learned, and thank You for ready solutions, and thank you for the opportunity I will have to apologize when he gets home, and thank You for love that covers a multitude of sins.  Thank You Lord for a car with a bad battery: 
thank You for a responsible son who doesn't expect me to fix everything for him, and thank You for jumper cables, and thank You for a car at all and that it still runs after 180,000 miles.  Thank You for the cold wind: I like sweaters.  Thank you Lord for my young child and her sins: thank You for the chance to share how You hate lies, and thank You that You hate lies, and thank You for creative ideas, and thank You for a big sister who cares for their younger sister, and thank You that I was with her for this valuable lesson.
Thank You that I do not have to feel happy to BE joyful.  Thank YOU.

4 comments:

  1. I am practicing being thankful that blogspot is acting weird and wrapping my words around. One more thing to be thankful for!

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  2. I am thankful that your blogspot wrapped your words because it really made me slow down and read what you wrote more carefully. It wasn't possible to skim, so I had to read every sentence twice to understand what it said, thus allowing time for the truth of your words to sink in.

    I am also thankful for wiser, older cousins who love me and take the time to write these lessons or discuss them at Cousins' Time.

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  3. Yes, we have much to be thankful for! Thanks for sharing that reminder!

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  4. Made me think of "Growly Grump" on our frig growing up. Thanks for the reminder to truly find the joy in all things.
    Love you, Marilyn

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