Joy Nugget #14: The "Me" in Joy II

Besides talking to ourselves, what else can we do?

-Psalm 71:23 “My lips will shout for joy… I will thank Him.
-Philippians 1:18; 4:1 Paul, from prison, says, “I rejoice; Yes, I will continue to rejoice.”

We determine to praise Him.

-Habakkuk 3:16-19 Habakkuk’s faith is deeply troubled when he learns of impending judgment against Judah…and HE is the bearer of that bad news! Yet He says “Hab 3:16-19 I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us. 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail, And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places.”

We don’t gloss over distress or pretend bad things aren’t happening. Yet we rejoice in those things that are true beyond our circumstances.

I’m the first to admit I don’t do this well. So don’t hear me saying “just do it.” But little by little, and with lots of grace, He can get us there… Still more to come :)