...for the joy of the Lord is your strength!

This morning during my quiet time with the Lord, I was reflecting upon all the earthly troubles swirling about that I've been made aware of - either by friends or via requests for prayer through friends of friends...illness, marriages teetering on the brink, the lost and unsaved...just to name a few. Really, the list is endless. The enemy is very busy.

On Monday, I had someone ask me how I stand strong with what we're going through. She wondered how my belief had not faltered. For a moment I didn't know what to say...because that's really a pretty BIG question, no? And it came while we were at the oncologist's office in the middle of Monday's chaos. Of course it did. Because one of the things I do know for sure is that our Lord has a mighty sense of humor :) But it's not about me, or us...it's about HIM. So, I gave a brief answer and promised to call her back.

And here's what I know. All I know, really. I (WE!) stand strong because of the Lord! Oh - I don't even want to think about how we would be coping (not coping) without Him...He sustains us, refreshes us, carries us, lifts us and encourages us - always through His Word and so often through our brothers and sisters in Christ. He loves us and we feel His love and see it manifested 1000 different ways every day.

But here's the catch: if you are not looking for it, expecting it...you'll miss it every single time. As Christians, we read in God's Word that He wants to bless us richly.

"He will send blessings on the worshippers of the Lord, on the small and on the great." Psalm 115:13

"But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may know the blessings that have been so freely given to us by God." 1 Corinthians 2:12

As a parent, don't we want to do good and wonderful things for our children? Of course we do!! How much more then does our Heavenly Father - who created us - want to do good and wonderful things for us?

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:11-13

But just as a stubborn child refuses to see the good a parent does for them, it's the same with us. If we're not open to God - if we cross our arms and stomp our foot at Him - we sadly miss out on all of those blessings he pours out. And just as we cry for our children...I believe He cries for us. The Bible says "Jesus wept." Yes, I believe He cries for us.

So I get through each and every day by the grace of God. The good days are a no-brainer!! Full of happiness and praise! The stormy days are tougher for sure. But they too are full of praise!

How has God blessed you today?