Believe it or not, I don’t always wake up feeling joyful. In fact, sometimes my first thoughts are dread, fear, and despair. I know work at the office is piled up. A trial this week looms ahead along with the uncertainty about the outcome. A person I love and care about is angry with me and won’t talk to me about it. You get the picture. It probably looks a little like your day does sometimes. But because my spirit is born again and “in Christ,” I have supernatural power over my mind, and I can control whether I allow it to rob my soul of joy.
If I want to be joyful, I must be thankful.
All through the Bible we see the connection between thankfulness and joy; especially in the Psalms:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!“
Psalms 103:1-6, 8, 10-14, 22
The Psalmist is counting his blessings and as he does, his joy is becoming greater and greater. As we count our blessings, our soul is blessing the Lord for all HIS blessings to us. If you are in such despair that you think you don’t have any blessings to count, then read the Psalm again. If you’re like me and you tend to focus on physical blessings instead of the more important spiritual blessings, sometimes I have to be reminded of all the benefits God has given me: Redemption, love and mercy, satisfaction, good things, renewal of my strength, justice for my oppressors, forgiveness of my sins, and—He knows my physical life is fragile and my soul desperately needs Him—so He has promised to never leave me or forsake me.
After God reminded me of these amazing spiritual blessings, I also began to thank Him for everything else He brought to mind:
- Everlasting life and the benefits—like love, joy, wisdom, power, and hope—that come from being His child
- Family who love God and love me—even when I am unlovable!
- Good health—I can see, taste, walk, hear, talk, etc., and I’m not in the hospital.
- A job God has taught me to love; it pays the bills and allows me to share HIM with others. Wonderful co-workers I love like family.
- A church family who I can serve, rejoice, weep, pray, and worship alongside.
- Friends who care and give me the opportunity to care for them.
- Freedom because I was born in a country where opportunities abound.
- Earthly provisions—healthy food, clean water, a safe car, and a beautiful home. Much better than I deserve!
- A relationship with God that is more precious to me than I can say or even understand.
These blessings remind me to not waste one minute God has given me today.
I want to capture every blessing God has planned for me today. I want to live with all the joy that comes from knowing God is my strength and my Redeemer.
Thankfulness helps us recognize our absolute need for God, and draws us into the joy of His presence!
To learn more about Kimberly Faith and the mission of Faith Strong, click HERE.
Out Now – Essential Faith, Volume II. Find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.
