“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4 NASB
Take a good look at today’s picture and see if you can tell what it is. It is a for real picture I recently received via text from my daughter Bethany. There’s close to a gallon of milk and two dozen eggs on the floor because the grocery bag ripped seconds before making it to the kitchen counter. What a mess!
Bethany’s morning had not gone well. She woke up sleep deprived due to her little girls not sleeping well during the night. The cupboards were bare so it was off to the store. Once there, she discovered she had left her grocery list at home. I had been receiving texts on and off from her all morning. Then came the picture of the fiasco. Our text conversation follows:
Bethany: Jesus take me home. Out of 2 dozen eggs only 5 survived.
Me: What happened?
Bethany: The paper bag said, “Nope! Not today!” I was inches away from the counter. (frown face)
Me: Even if they are cracked you could still use them. At least soon or in baking.
Bethany: There were no cracks. They were all exploded except for five.
Can any of you relate??? If you have kids, I know you can. I hate to admit it, but I did chuckle a bit. Memories flooded my mind of similar days when raising my four children.
Now take a look at today’s Scripture verse. Rejoice . . . ALWAYS! Is that really possible? I’ll admit I fall short of that command at times. However, if you read the verse in its context, you’ll discover helps that make it easier to rejoice in the tough times. In verses 6-9, we’re encouraged to not be anxious, to lift our requests to God with thanksgiving, to dwell on the good things, and to practice the teachings of God taught to us by our spiritual leaders.
Next time you find your day not going as planned, stop and rejoice in the Lord. Give it to Him and let His peace fill you. I’m proud to say that my daughter chose to rejoice in the Lord even with milk and eggs all over the floor. Her last text said, “I made chocolate chip cookies to make the day better and praised God when they came out good!”
[Digging deeper – Ephesians 5:20. Philippians 4:4-9. 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18]
Ever rejoicing,
Beverly <><