Reason for Joy

Life is hard, I know.  If we listen to our conversations, we'd probably hear a litany of complaints about work, finances, the kids, our health, the house, you name it. I don't mean to minimize the validity of our concerns.  We have genuine problems.  

However, sometimes we give those problems disproportionate 'air-time' in our conversation.  We give them too much head-time as we mull them over and over in our minds.  In so doing, we simply magnify the worry and angst of our problems.  Worrying rarely generates helpful strategies for handling issues, but it can surely make it seem as though our live is filled only with trouble. 

Not true.  There is always something for which to be grateful, for which to praise God's goodness.  

My family has been stressed over the outcome of tests one of my sisters recently took.  We've been praying hard that the results would not indicate cancer.  Today they came back - normal.  You can bet we're all smiling.  Today, nothing is a problem: my sister is ok.  

Sometimes it takes a scare to make us realize how fortunate we are, how gracious God is to us, how very good our lives are.  It's better to be thankful without a scare, certainly, but even fearful things serve us, if they drive us to turn God-ward in prayer. The Psalmist gives us God's response:

 When he calls to me, I will answer him;    

I will be with him in trouble - Psalm 91 v. 15