When times are tough, when things aren’t going as planned, many people have a long, sour face. They’re down, discouraged, worried, and upset. But when you choose to rejoice, you smile and have a pleasant demeanor no matter what. And it’s not because you necessarily feel like it or because everything's perfect. You just simply smile by faith. You smile knowing that your expression is saying to God, “I trust You. I know you're working all things out for my good.”
However, . . . what if I can't smile. I've tried to move my face into a smile. I've tried to repeat the words in my head, "God will make a way," but I can't believe the words right now. It's not a feeling of a rainy day, but one of being buried under water. What can I give thanks for? In what good do I believe?
Things are too bad, too miserable, too chronic to accept as permanent. There must be an End to evil and suffering. There must be Judgment against the violent, the greedy. I'm not one of these. So, I will long for the Day of Judgment with a . . . smile, though tears still flow.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Joyful One, I choose to rejoice in you. Your goodness goes way beyond my difficulty. Even when I don’t see a way, aren't you making a way for us? I surrender every area of my life to you in confident hope that in the end you'll put all things to rights. You're the Judge I trust. With my big brother, Jesus, I pray with a smile on my face. Amen.
1 comment:
Amen!
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