I hear this psalm first thing every morning when I wake up, and I think "HAH! What if I don't want to rejoice? It is morning after all. I am not a morning person!" But the verse plays over and over in my head until I speak the words out loud. And then something miraculous happens. Though I'd still love to be asleep, I have now acknowledged that the Lord has indeed made another day for me, and I can do nothing but be glad in it.
Oh I know that the day may not be especially great, or that I may not like something that is likely to happen at some point in the day, but how can I not rejoice that the Lord has given me one more day with my children and my family.
I can rejoice that the sun is shining for another day; I can rejoice that I have the opportunity to reach out to others in Christ's name; I can rejoice that I am simply alive. I am aware that there are those that have a hard time with rejoicing that they are alive. I've been there, I understand. I too have had many dark, dark days. Days when I wished the sun would quit shining, because it seemed a slap in the face of my emotional being. However, a day came when I cried out to the Lord, and pleaded with Him to take my pain away, and to heal my brokenness. He has, all in the simple way that He moves the Spirit within me to recite these words over and over in my head until I say them out loud and believe them for myself.
I am not trying to tell anyone that they can just "snap out" of their negative emotional state. Quite the contrary, actually. What I am saying is that while we may suffer from bouts of depression, worry or anxiety, if we just keep our eyes and hearts on the Lord, and read His Word, we can overcome anything. He will help us through. He does not leave us alone during any of it. Though I usually think of God as a fatherly type figure, in this one instance, I kind of compare Him to a small child, who upon seeing their mother crying goes and picks a flower and gives her a hug to make her feel better. That's the way I see each new day that the Lord has made. As a great big hug and flowers to brighten my day. Because of this how can I not simply- rejoice and be glad in it?
---Lord, today I say a humble "Thank You" for this day you have made for me and for all mankind. You do not have to be with us each day, and you don't have to ease our hurts, but like any good father, you want to. You love us and it shows in everything You do. Even something so simple for you to do, as to provide another glorious day. I ask that you continue to remind me to rejoice and be glad in everyday. I ask this is Jesus' Holy Name.
Amen
