I will greatly rejoice in the Lord

One of the many signs that I have allowed something to disturb my walk is the absence of joy. In fact I realized a long time ago, that we have to war for joy, that is we have to fight for it. Many years ago, before I came out of denial about my obsessive thinking, I was trying very hard both to honour my mother, and at the same time explain to her why I had not been able to really talk to her. We had been visiting her at her time of need. She had recently lost her second husband, and she had no idea how to grieve properly, and as a result she had been impossible!

As I tried in vain to find a way to say something she could hear, the Lord had given me a song based on the verse at the title of this post, from Isaiah 61:10. We sing it from time to time in our fellowship, and the lesson it teaches is something I think we all need over and over! At the time the Lord gave me this song, rejoicing in the Lord was the very last thing I was able to do.

Since I became a Christian, strained relationships have been difficult for me. Before I was a Christian I didn’t care. I used to say that the world was divided into two, those who loved me and those who hated me. And there were usually enough who loved me for me not to care about the others. But now suddenly it was very important for me to be able to connect with my mother. I am sure she loved me in her own way, but I didn’t feel loved, and now out of the blue, a relationship with her had become very important, hence the internal wrestling match. I was allowing it to rob me of my joy!

There is a saying that the Lord never gives an instruction that He does not with the instruction, also give the wherewithal to do it. I agree with this, but it doesn’t always come easy. In particular wrestling through to joy while always possible, often stretches me! And in the end for me, it only comes as I spend time with Him, sometimes long times. In His presence it becomes possible for me to choose to rejoice in the Lord.

Father, with Your help I can indeed choose to rejoice in the Lord always. Joy is part of the fruit of Your Spirit, but it is also commanded. Help me always to do my part in moving through my pain into joy. Thank You for the example of Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame. In Jesus Name Amen