God Uses My Words Against Me. . .This Really Got Me Wednesday
Be joyful always 1 Thessalonians 5:16
The words left my mouth and I stopped cold. . . Then I felt God press this against my heart. Yes my child you can too.
The words I said? “You can choose your attitude. You get to decide how you respond to life. . .You can choose joy.”
My attitude lately has been less than stellar. I like to believe I have hidden the truth from everyone. Yet it seeps out in bitter words, deep sighs, and frustrated rants. I allowed circumstances dictate my attitude, not the truth. Instead of rejoicing with my friends in God’s guidance and direction, I thought of what their move meant to me. Instead of glorying in giving my children tools for dealing with their attitudes, I allowed their attitudes to taint mine.
Yet I can choose joy.
I can choose joy when I feel overwhelmed, because God is in control.
I can choose joy when I don’t know what direction God is leading me, because I know He will direct my paths.
I can choose joy when I long for babies I cannot have, because God has a perfect plan for my life.
I can choose joy when the future seems murky, because God is my provider.
Yet it is much easier to allow circumstances, speculations, and others dictate my attitude. Oh to keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. There with my eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, I see the truth clearly.
I find that even in the difficult and painful circumstances of life there is something to give thanks for.
Nothing can ever steal away what Jesus did on the cross for me. If only I could remember His sacrifice in a manger and on a tree, then joy and gratitude come easier. Joy in the midst of grief, gratitude in the midst of the desert.
Yes I can choose joy.
How have you chosen joy in the midst of difficult times? Would you share?
Also it is time to link-up. Share some way God really got you recently. I can’t wait to see how God is working in your life!
3 Comments
Leave a Comment
Very good read! Also your blog looks really interesting and I look forward to exploring your site more when I have some time. I think you might find my blog interesting as well and would love it if you had a chance to stop by 🙂
Angela,
I’ve always found it interesting when scripture commands us to rejoice. To me, practicing joy seemed like an emotion. Can God command us to feel an emotion? Then I, like you, realized that joy is an act of the will, not the emotion. When we CHOOSE to demonstrate joy (the verb, to rejoice), the emotion often comes. Even if it doesn’t, we have been obedient. Most of the time, however, the emotions follow the obedience. Isn’t that neat of God to work it that way? I’m a new visitor, and glad I stopped by. Lori, from Be Not Weary.
Lori…You are right. When we choose joy the emotions often follow. Not always right away, but God is faithful and in Him we have true abiding joy.