They Sing Like They are Dying

We had a guest on Sunday morning who commented on how much they enjoyed our church.  They have been to other churches where he said, “They sing like they are dying.”  In one sentence he captured one of my pet peeve’s in life.  So often, Christians are guilty of shedding off their joy and focusing on their circumstances.  Our hearts don’t “sing” with God’s great goodness, but rather plead for God to change those circumstances.  Granted, it’s easy to do.  Life is difficult on good days and our “feelings” get the best of us.

But this cannot be!  The Bible is filled with JOY!  Go to www.biblegateway.com and type in the word joy.  You could spend the rest of your week focusing on God’s great joy in our lives.  You can be going through the worst experience of your life and still have joy in your heart and on your face. 

Grumpy Christians have missed the freedom that God has for us!  He lifts our burdens and gives us hope in the midst of hopelessness and peace in the midst of pain.  If we just complain until our circumstances change, we have failed to learn the lesson that God has for us.  All that you have can be taken away tomorrow.  If you haven’t learned to rest in the resevoir of his joy, what will you have left?

The light of His love resounds to others when they spend time with you and are refreshed by your spirit.  The song in our heart should be one of profound joy and thankfulness for the salvation that God brings from this world.

How do you do that?  Pour God’s word into your life so that your thoughts are on Him.  Write scriptures on 3 x 5 cards that bring peace to your family.  Post them on bathroom mirrors, refrigerators, and in your car.  Make sure that His Word is never far from your heart and from your family.  Also, speak those words of life over your situations.  Don’t speak words of gloom and desperation over your circumstance.  Claim victory!  God has every intention of giving it to you!

Psalm 118:15 (New International Version)