Choosin’ Cheer Over Fear
Well, mercy me, friend, you just brightened this ol’ front porch like sunrise hittin’ a tin roof! You come right on up here and settle yourself in real good because I’ve done been thinkin’ about joy the way a lil’ ol’ barn owl thinks about nighttime, mighty hard and steady. So, you pull up that ol’ rocker over there that creaks louder than a lil’ ol’ mole pushin’ dirt under a loose board. Joy is a plum a real mighty gift from the Lord, especially when worry starts prowlin’ around our hearts like a hungry ol’ wolf that thinks it owns the whole forest.
Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, Rejoice.” Joy ain’t tied to no circumstances. Joy is sho’-nuff’ tied to Him. And friend, He’s mighty steady. He’s mighty faithful. He’s mighty near. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” That there’s not a polite suggestion. That there’s a downright lifeline.
Worry sneaks in like a lil’ ol’ gopher that thinks your garden belongs to it. It digs around your thoughts about your kids, your health, your finances, your future. But the Lord calls us to be livin’ our lives differently. Psalm 94:19 says, “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.” That verse plum tells us that God’s comfort don’t just hush worry. It downright replaces it with delight.
Paul wrote about rejoicin’ while sittin’ in prison. He had every reason to fuss like an ol’ rooster caught in a rainstorm, but he chose joy anyway. He sho’-nuff’ chose trust. He plum chose to believe that God’s peace would guard his heart the way an ol’ shepherd guards sheep from whatever lil’ ol’ critter that thinks it can be sneakin’ up real close. And that same peace is promised to us. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Joy is a choice. It’s a God-given gift. It’s available right now, even when life feels heavier than a waterlogged hay bale. You’ve gotta be choosin’ it. You’ve gotta be reachin’ for it. You’ve gotta be walkin’ in it. God’s peace will sho’-nuff’ meet you there.
Father, thank You for the joy You offer in every season. Thank You for peace that guards our hearts when worry tries to take over. Teach us to rejoice, to trust, and to rest in Your comfort. Fill us with Your strength and steady our thoughts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Friend, you go on out in this ol’ world now and as you step into the rest of your day, do it with a heart steadier than a lil’ ol’ barn cat walkin’ a fence rail. Joy has a way of showin’ up like a lil’ ol’ caterpillar turnin’ into somethin’ beautiful right under your nose. Carry this here truth the way an ol’ shepherd carries a glowin’ lantern through tall grass, real sure and unwaverin’. The Lord has already stepped ahead of you, and goodness is waitin’ for you right in the place where He placed it.
With joy,
Gwen
