Romans 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

When we really understand what God has done for us in Christ Jesus, we can’t help but rejoice! The problem is, too often we fail to really understand it, and in practical terms we forget it. We tend to disbelieve what a fix we were in without Him, that we really were destined for hell, and so fail to appreciate what a wonderful thing it is to have the assurance of salvation. Any Christian who lacks joy needs a refresher course in this. The devil does all he can to blind us to this reality, because he hates us and he wants to steal our peace and joy in any way he can. We must not let him do that! As James so famously and practically said, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) We don’t realize that’s the way to joy! The ultimate response to all the junk the world throws at us is meditating on the goodness and grace of God toward us. That will take us from the pit of depression to the heights of peace and joy! As Paul said so clearly, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) The better a grasp of that we have, the more joy we will have regardless of our circumstances.

Of course this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I have been described as a person who enjoys living, but I will confess that there are numbers of things in this life that are less than enjoyable. However, I do have the firm conviction that this life is far from the end of the story, and I eagerly look forward to what comes next. I am not “bubbly” all the time, and I do need to consciously remind myself sometimes that “this too will pass,” but starting each day with my Lord and His Word, as I’m doing right now, is a huge help in this area. The older I get, the more I anticipate eternity! At the same time, one of my joys is in serving my Lord right now and fulfilling His purposes for my life. He doesn’t do anything by chance or on a whim, and I am convinced that His plans for me are the best possible thing that could happen. I need to receive the joy that He has prepared for me and let it flow through me to all around me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for all the little trials and challenges You allow me to go through, and for the big ones, too! Help me remember Your incredible grace toward me and rejoice always, giving You the glory You deserve. Thank You. Praise God!