30 Days of Praise Day 29 Joyful in Affliction

To say that life is a struggle is an understatement. Everything from small annoyances like imperfections in our bodies or sickness to devastating, life-changing losses can sometimes bury us under layer after layer of pain, sadness and just plain weariness.

I've been thinking lately on how easy it is as we get older to allow bitterness to get the best of us. It's sort of the human condition (one of the flesh of course, and not of the Spirit); we get hurt enough times or things go wrong enough and we pick up our "self-pity" mortar and "stay-away-from-me" bricks and build impenetrable walls around our hearts, locking our true selves away in the highest tower. Nothing gets in, we are protected; but that also means nothing gets out and our lives become stagnant. Somehow we slog through each day, battling the real and sometimes would-be threats that surround us...and it always feels like we're on the defensive.

This is a problem on a number of levels, but the most important question the Christian has to ask is Why? Why am I allowing this world to conquer me? Why am I not bringing this pile of hurts: the betrayal of a friend, the loss of a loved one, a hope deferred, or even just the everyday annoyances that can leave us exhausted- to the foot of the cross? Didn't Jesus tell us to come to Him "all who are weary and burdened?"(Matthew 11:28). Then why don't we do it? In my recent soul-searching, I've decided that I'm going to work on two things to overcome this issue.

1) Infuse every aspect of my life with the power of Jesus Christ: through reading His word every single day (it wasn't meant to be read once a week or every once in a while. Its power is most effective in frequent doses, i.e. our "Daily Bread" in Matthew 6:11), time in prayer and close fellowship with other Christians.

2) Praise Him for everything in my life, including my struggles. When the thought came to me it seemed a little self-masochistic. Why would I be THANKFUL for pain and for the trials I'm going through? The answer can be found in a little book called James: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you experience trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-3). And the same message appears again in Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!" So not only are we to rejoice in our suffering, but we are to consider it “pure joy.”

Wouldn't our lives emit such a sweeter fragrance to our Savior and to those around us if we were truly "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"(Romans 12:12) instead of bitter, angry and grumpy?

I’ve probably mentioned this is another post, but I have a recurring thought (I believe it was from the Lord) about how I represent myself in the midst of trials. What reward can there be when we’re under pressure or suffering from something the Lord has allowed in our lives, and we’re pouting like toddlers? That is, until things go our way, or we get the thing we’re asking for, or we feel the refining kiln fires cooling off and then we’re more than happy to give thanks and be joyfully praising God. Isn’t it about time we grew up a little bit? Do we really want to act like spoiled children?

I for one want to look back at the path that I've carved through the wilderness and know that with every step, God was given not only the glory, but the praise. That the tears that stream down my face are tears of deep thankfulness for all the blessings God has showered me with, even if it’s not exactly what I’m hoping for. That the hands I lift high in praise are to a benevolent, powerful, all-knowing God, even above the heavy aching of my heart. That my eyes aren’t focused on the problems in front of me, but on the ever-loving face of Jesus. And that I was glad when I endured this suffering because I am anchored to the hope promised to me by the Lord Jesus Christ in His Word: the faithfulness of a God that has a plan and a future for me, full of blessing and life and light.