30 Day Praise Challenge, Week 2

I don't always feel like praising.  Last week was one of those weeks.  Every day it seemed like something else went 'wrong' causing frustration, weariness, anger, and a general feeling of defeat.  There was no major crisis.  Just a lot of bed-wetting, crying babies, disobedient children, and a busy schedule.

Sometimes it's the littlest frustrations in life that rob me of a praise-filled heart.

This week I had to choose to praise, even when I didn't feel like it.  The Holy Spirit indwells me, He convicts me, instructs me, and guides me into all truth.  The truth is that God is worthy of praise.  Always.  At all times.

In those moments when I feel defeated, frustrated, angry, or just plain tired, I'm learning to stop and praise God for something.  Sometimes I have to start really simple, but if I keep going, praising God for various things, more things follow and before I know it my heart has been changed by praising God.

To overflow with praise is to be filled up with the One who is worthy of praise.

If I'm filled up with Him instead of my troubles, I can live a praise-filled life that spreads the fragrance of Christ to those around me.

Day 3 :: Dealing with the Hard Stuff

Hard stuff happens.   

The Bible addresses hard stuff countless times.  James calls hard stuff trials, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" {James 1:2}.

Count it joy.  This is a tough one!  It's easy to count that good stuff joy, but trials?  What would make me crazy enough to think that is a good idea?  I really have to count it joy that my son has Down Syndrome?  It was a challenge for me to find any joy in this.  I sure didn't feel like rejoicing.  I only felt like crying.  

But, the verse doesn't end at this.  We're given a reason for why we can count it joy.  

"...for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" {James 1:3-4}

We can count hard stuff joy because going through hard stuff, with Jesus, is meant to make us more like Him.  

As I walked through the days and weeks after Mason was born.  I began to see that my faith was tested.  I came to realize that I was okay with Down Syndrome.  I learned that I wasn't given a bad thing.  And, as I grew in these ways, I began to see that God was changing my heart.  

The testing was producing and I knew that God was using this to bring me closer to Him.  

That is joy.  HE is joy.  

You have hard stuff, too.  How are you going to deal with it?  

Go here for a great article about choosing joy and a free printable.