Do you ever find yourself bursting into song while you're out shopping or working around the house? Perhaps you often open your lungs to full capacity when driving down the road and listening to your favorite song on the radio. And how many of us have ever looked over to the car on our left or right while at a stoplight and notice someone in the other car singing with reckless abandonment as if no one in the world could see them?
We either laugh internally at their craziness or chuckle on the inside over their sense of uncontrolled joy. We might even wish we were driving the other car because their joy is so contagious! We find ourselves affected by what we have just witnessed, only to realize it is our hands reaching for the radio knob to search for that special tune that speaks the posture of our own heart in that given moment.
If we could only emulate this sense of freedom to sing and rejoice when we are downtrodden or discouraged by our present circumstances. Sometimes it's as easy as not taking life so seriously. God's Word says that in this world we will encounter trouble. He also tells us not to fear, for God has overcome the world. He has our back. He is in full control even when things around us seem to be hectic or out of our control. He calls us to trust in Him. It's in times like this we need to stop, dig deep, and encourage our hearts to rejoice. It does not matter how good of a singer you think you may be. LET IT OUT! Your heart will thank you for it later.
There was an episode in my life when a friend and I traveled to visit my two grandmothers living in Missouri. It just so happened that during this trip the water pump on my car went out. We found ourselves stranded on the side of the road next to a cotton field filled with the largest mosquitoes you have ever seen. We’d left the car doors open while looking under the hood, only to soon discover the mosquitoes made the interior their home. We were bitten from head to toe!
I knew nothing about fixing a water pump or anything else on the car for that matter. To make a long story short, I knew God would take care of us and He did. He sent "super" Granny to the rescue. I did not want my friend to worry, so I began to sing and rejoice while dancing in the street. "Just relax, Jesus said. It will be alright!" Because of our faith, the two of us had a good laugh in the face of our predicament.
The next time you are faced with a moment that brings you down, remember to not let your inner attitude reflect your outward circumstance. Find cause to give thanks and rejoice. It sure made being stranded in the middle of nowhere a lot more fun for us, although I think I can still feel those mosquitoes biting me. So, the next time you find yourself in the middle of a difficult moment, trust that Jesus is with you. Give out a shout of praise or a word of blessing for what God is going to do. Rejoice!
“Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4
Be encouraged!
