Inspired by. . . a good heart
Psalm 22 tells of Jesus on the cross.
The Suffering Servant. Scorned by the people, who, only days before, had welcomed Him as king.
Not only is Jesus emotionally battered (imagine everyone you love turning against you, and then multiply that times the world), but His body is wracked with pain. He is stripped nearly naked, and then shamed in the most public way possible.
Truly, with all Jesus endured, He can relate to our pain, our emotional abuse, our shame.
In the midst of all this pain and suffering, the psalmist inserts seven words. A command, if you will. Or a prayer.
Seven powerful, encouraging words.
"May you always be in good heart." (v. 26b)
How?! Why?! can this be possible?
Specifically, in this context, we should be in good heart because (v. 31b) the Lord has acted! The righteous deed of Jesus has removed our sin and given us an eternal life with God.
In a practical sense, choosing JOY (to be in good heart) will change our life while we are still here on earth.
I'm not talking about a false happiness that denies or ignores our reality. Or the power of positive thinking.
Choosing JOY doesn't (necessarily) change our circumstances – it changes us!
Even when we fail, just having made the attempt to be of good heart will make a difference.
So how about a challenge?
For the next five days, upon waking up each morning, let's make a conscious decision to meet every situation we encounter that day with JOY!
I'd love to hear if you're up for the challenge – and how it affects your week!
Blessings,
Sharing inspiration here:
A good word as we head into our week...thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo....
ReplyDeleteSuch a great word of encouragement. Choosing joy may not change my circumstances, but it will always change me! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to live that challenge. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouraging words and challenge. I can be joyful when I remember what Christ has done for me, regardless of my earthly circumstances. It's not always easy to remember that, so I love the idea of being purposeful as I get out of bed and give the day over to God. Blessings to you this week!
ReplyDelete