COUNT MY BLESSINGS (3): Joy in the Morning

My spiritual beliefs are often what get me through the day, especially those really hard ones.  You know, the days that feel like armageddon has decided to start in my front yard.  I have those sometimes.  I'm not a patient person.  I want what I want now, especially the good stuff.  I want peace, happiness, and love at home.  I want to win the lottery.  I want world peace -- well, okay, that's bit far fetched, I'll take getting all of our troops home safe and sound.  I want struggles to have end in sight, and then actually end. 

I've always believed that we are given trials and struggles to learn patience, to learn to see the Lord's hand in our lives, and to help us to grow strong.  I'm fairly confident that I would be more than happy to grow without the trials.  I can learn to be patient without them.

One scripture that I am trying to internalized is:  "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  (Psalms 30:5.)  I think I need to make another sign to put up in my house!  Job lost everything while he waited for relief from the Lord: He lost his home and worldly possessions; he lost his family; his health -- even his mental health.  Job's response to these tragedies was:  "...For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though ... worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God...  Though he slay me, yet I will trust in Him..."  Way to be patient Job!  I hope that I don't have to have worms destroy my body before I'm humble enough to feel 'joy in morning.'

We are not guaranteed that our lives will be easy, that we will not face heartache.  We are not promised that we will not be faced with tragedy or tempted by sin, or that our families will remain untouched.  But...  We are promised that if we endure our struggles well, whether in this life or the next, our trials will seem like that one night of weeping, and we will have joy in the morning. 


Yesterday, I went to bed exhausted.  Life has pooped me out.  When I woke up this morning, I was greeted with a beautiful, rare Oregon Spring Sunrise.  It was absolutely gorgeous outside, and it felt like a great big blessing handed to me on a silver platter, with my name engraved right in the middle!  I was definitely feeling joy this morning, were you?