Find your joy in God’s blessings, not your immediate circumstances

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Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Obedience is difficult sometimes, isn’t it? Though Christians are called to live a life characterized by joy, a fruit of the Spirit, our circumstances have a way of determining the amount of joy that is shining through us.

Yet in my life, I’ve learned that being thankful to God should never be dependent on my circumstances.

Now, the world is going to tell you that your joy should be determined by your circumstances… that if you’ve had a bad day, it’s okay to mope around and feel sorry for yourself. But God calls you to a higher standard.

One of the shortest verses in the Bible says, “Rejoice always.” So you and I are prohibited from allowing our daily circumstances to have so much control over us that they steal our joy.

Instead, find your joy in the Lord. He loves you so much that he sent Jesus to die so you could be rescued from the kingdom of darkness. This doesn’t just translate into eternal life. It also means you have the power of God in you today. What a wonderful thing to be joyful about!

So when the bank account is low and you’re behind on your bills, when you feel alone, or when you’ve had a rough day, rejoice because you are loved.

Find your joy in God’s blessings, not your immediate circumstances.

Jack Graham