Count It All Joy

Usually in the mornings, I have a thought before I write down my blogs. Today's blog, I really didn't want to sound to "churchy" but making Christ's messages relate to everyone. Well, here it is. Count it all joy. This is a phrase James shares with us over a millennium ago about keeping your joy in the midst of various temptations. There are so many things in this life happening to us we don't understand and can't control. I believe there are many of us right now going through situations we never thought we would be experiencing. Foreclosures on our homes, car repossession, kids calling the cops claiming you abused them, family walking out on you, your best friend having an affair with your spouse, or people on job conspired to get your fired from your high-level executive position. These are the issues of life that are pushing many people on the brink of mental breakdowns or even suicide. Speaking of which, the potency for suicide and other erratic mental behaviors are becoming a norm in American society. So, in spite of all, this man from the first few decades of the A.D. era tells us "count it all joy?" Some of us (including myself) see our situations as irreparable and impossible. We don't have joy because all we see is gloom. However, we must understand that God has given us the breath of life; therefore there must be purpose in all this. As Pastor C was preaching her message to the church yesterday, one thought came to my mind. There has to be a purpose within all this hell (torment, not saying this word in a derogatory way) that is raging in my life. Things trying to destroy my marriage with my beautiful wife Dionn. Setbacks in moving forward with my books and career. Seeds of discord trying to destroy my church family. Lies being spoken throughout my surrounding community. Destructive ways destroying my country from the inside out. All of these things are disparaging but God gave me this thought, "count it all joy." What does it mean to count it all joy? That's a good question but I'll try to tackle this. Counting it all joy means to learn to be happy and in love with God despite the temptations going on in our lives. It means keeping a positive attitude in the midst of harsh times and believing God still favors you when the enemies of your life say otherwise. Counting it all joy is still praying and praising God, seeking His perfect will in your life every single day. Counting it all joy is understanding your going through the same things your next door neighbor is going through but you have the answer to your situation. Counting it all joy is making the best of our a prison situation when most people give up, lie down, and die. It means keeping your head up to the God who hasn't forgotten you. It means believing that God hasn't forsaken you although you don't feel, see, hear, or perceive him. It means us learning how to look past the muted tones within a picture and seeing the beauty of other colors trying to shine through. It's keeping the faith in Jesus Christ when everyone calls you a holy rolling idiot. It's keeping the faith and knowing that if things never go right here on earth for us; we have a heavenly home He has promised to those who have trusted and stayed faithful to Him. The joy of God exceeds happiness and this is what we have to pursue in these times we've living in. People like David and Paul had to experience great hardships in their lives. I truly believe they survive their storms because they counted it all joy. They sought and fulfilled their purpose as God had already predestined. They were tried in their faith but thereafter it became as pure gold being tried in the fire. So let's take heed to these words from a man just like you. Problems just like you. Issues just like you. Setbacks, disappointments, failures, regrets, and mistakes, just like you. Let's learn to count it all joy, in all that we go through, He will make it alright (BeBe & CeCe Winans). This is the hope that we have as we continue to make the decision to trust God anyhow.

Til next time, dgwo.

Reference:

Hebrews 11
Hebrews 12:1-3
James 1:1-8