SURRENDERING ADVERSITY AND CHOOSING JOY

   Last night, or should I say this morning, my husband and I woke up at the same time.

4 am! Wide awake, there we were.  So he began to tell me about the dream he just had.  I won’t go into detail about the dream. I am not sure it is even worthy of analyzing.  This is not the first dream that my husband has had that made me wonder, WHO DREAMS THESE KINDS OF THINGS?  There we were before the sun had even peeped over the hill laughing hysterically!  The bed was shaking.  We couldn't stop laughing.  I could barely breathe.  If that wasn't enough, we both continued in the commentaries and pun possibilities.  It only encouraged his twisted sense of humor and contributed to being now fully awake.  We were unable to return to sleep, until of course the sun had come up and it was time to get up.

   Today was no different than yesterday.  I awake to the same concerns, worries, sadness and problems that I SURRENDERED yesterday and placed on God’s feet.  Yet today I CHOOSE JOY. 

   I use to hate that saying, “most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be”.  It would make me angry!  I had the most difficult time figuring out how to do this.  Even more I questioned how to have JOY, in the midst of a storm?  Honestly, we have all been there (when you wanted to wipe the smile off that face that told you to just Praise the Lord).  You know you have experienced this!

   So what is different today?  Why am I able to set the problems, worries, and sadness all aside and CHOOSE, make up my mind to be happy? It is no secret recipe.  As I have spent weeks on my knees SURRENDERING (and as we talked about yesterday surrendering my surrender).  My load is lighter.  It can’t help but be lighter as you place your cares at HIS feet and allow HIM to be in control. Oh wait there is a formula!

  

   ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR NEED FOR CHRIST

+ FILLING YOUR MIND WITH HIS THOUGHTS AND PROMISES

+ SURRENDER AND RE-SURENDER DAILY

+ CHOOSE TO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY

 = JOY AND PEACE

Choose this day whom to serve

Joshua: 24:15

I choose NOT to serve the god of worry, distress, anxiety, sadness, grief (________you put in what today holds you back from CHOOSING today whom you will serve.

I CHOOSE TODAY TO SERVE A GOD WHO I TRUST ALL MY CONCERNS WITH!

The Lord will work out his plans for my life, for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.

Psalms 138:8

   Have you ever looked in your bible concordance under ABLE?  I challenge you to do so!  It is full of HIS PROMISES OF WHAT HE CAN ACCOMPLISH!

Examples; He is able to Judge, Able to Deliver, able to save, able to raise, defend, provide, rescue…able, able able.  What is it you need for God to accomplish today? 

HE IS MORE THAN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT CONCERNS ME TODAY!

Joy comes in the morning!  I can’t help but smile!

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him!

Romans 15:13