Rejoicing

Luke 1: ³⁹ Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

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With car now dented, I had to drive around town with less pride than before. It was raining this particular day and when I tried to roll up the window it tilted and I could only roll it up part of the way. “And now my stinky life is complete” I thought to myself as I headed off to clean toilets at work.

• Sometimes I was not filled with joy.
• Sometimes I thought life really stinks.
• Sometimes I could only see the negative in life.

Two women held the most joyous conversation in history. Miracle babies would be born around the same time and one would redeem the world. I can only imaging the conversation as they spoke quickly and with deep excitement! The HOLY SPIRIT was in the middle of their conversation as they spoke of “belief.”

• GOD wants me to focus on HIS promises when I am feeling glum.
• GOD wants me to practice my belief when I am feeling down.
• GOD wants me to look at HIS deliverance when I am feeling low.

Life has a daily choice. I can spend each day down or I can choose to rejoice in spite of situations. GOD has already blessed me and all I need to do is sit back and watch HIM fulfill HIS promises with the might HE has.

• Are you down right now?
• Do you think everything around you is falling apart?
• Can you focus on GOD instead of looking at the waves splashing around you?
• Will you believe today?