GENUINE GLADNESS!

In spite of the difficult situations that a child of God passes through, he is seen to be glad and rejoicing in life. He has the peace that the world doesn’t have. He commits all his affairs to His Lord and lives without anxiety or fear. He casts all his cares upon the Lord and relaxes in His presence. He is able to rejoice in the Lord in spite of situations, tests, trials, tribulations and adversities. This often intrigues the people around and they wonder as to how the child of God can be glad in spite of difficulties. The people of this world think that gladness in life depends on favourable circumstances. But the circumstances are growing worse in the world and everywhere we look, we can see pain, misery, natural calamities, terrorism, health problems, family issues and a procession of emotional distress of one kind or another. So the people of the world conclude that it is not possible to be glad, and they search for gladness in securing possessions, positions, power, prestige, prominence and popularity. But they soon realize that these create a thirst for more of these and will never satisfy. The more they have these earthly things, the more problems they end up with. Any diminishing of these earthly achievements will develop frustrations of different dimensions and end up in conflicts, fights, competition, rivalry, resentment and resultant emotional and physical problems. But if we ask a child of God why he is glad, he will answer that the reason for all his happiness in life is what his Lord means to him in spite of circumstances, things and people. He is satisfied with what the Lord has given him. He is not bothered with quantity or quality, but the availability of basic things to meet his daily needs. He will testify that all of these including the salvation of his soul is what has been done by the Lord for Him which make him glad.

It is not difficult to see how the Lord provides for all the needs of His children. He has secured the salvation of their souls. He has made available all the Heavenly resources for His children to draw from. He protects them day and night and guides them in the difficult situations. He leads them through the dark valleys of life and brings them to light. He feeds their souls with heavenly food and fills them with the water of life from the Heavenly Spring. He helps them to grow in their faith and trust in the Lord through His Spirit and Word. He teaches them great lessons of life on a daily basis. He walks with them lest they get distracted and go on detours. He corrects them if they err. He is their refuge and tower of strength in times of the attack of the enemy. When a child of God experiences all of these blessings, he will be able to say that he is glad and rejoicing because the Lord is doing all of these great things for him on a daily basis. He will also be able to testify that the Lord has a great plan for his life here on earth and will accomplish it in spite of the circumstances.

Dear friend, it is a great challenge for you to be glad and rejoicing in all circumstances. This is possible only if you let the Lord run your life and handle your affairs His way. Let us today hand over the steering wheel of our lives to the Lord and travel with Him and exhibit gladness in all our expressions for the world to see. Your expressions of happiness will also be a great encouragement for the people of God around you who find the going very tough. Let us today say with the Psalmist that we are glad only because the Lord has done great things for us and has brought us so far. He will surely take us to the end and then translate us into his presence.

Lamentations 3:57 – You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not fear”.

Thought for Today
Gladness is not a mask that we wear to put up a nice disposition, but a spontaneous overflow of response to all that the Lord has done for us.