Overflowing Cup Of Joy

April 7

Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think. La Bruyere

Certainly, there is an element of truth to these words because people who are overly sensitive find themselves easily offended. They are tender of heart and easily wounded. They spend their time pondering slights and sometimes finding offense when there is none. People who ponder the events of life discover the humor in the convoluted situations in which they find themselves. They become rather like the turtle on a fence post—they have no idea how they got there or how they will get down so they simply laugh at their inconvenience.

Is either method right? Is either method wrong? Is there is preferred method of dealing with life and its challenges? How can we discover the preferred course we are to take when often our options leave us unsatisfied and unsure of how we should proceed? Perhaps our answer lies in the truth that we are to keep our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 3:1). Perhaps our answer lies in the reality that although we don't have a viable answer for our dilemma, we know the One who does. Perhaps our difficulty will be best resolved when we arrive at the point of seeing human avenues of help for the fallacies they are (Psalm 108:12) and Jesus for the totality of our answer that He is (Mark 7:37).

Life is neither a tragedy nor a comedy. We need neither weep nor laugh at our perplexities. Rather, life is an opportunity for the Lord to manifest His great love for us and His power in our behalf. Life’s trials and life’s blessings are our opportunity to thank and praise our God for all things (I Thessalonians 5:18).

When we turn the problems of our lives over to His loving hands, we are set free to use our hands to clap and to lift them in praise to Him! When we praise Him, we are evidencing our complete faith in His ability to set right all that is amiss in our lives. When we lift our hands and our voices in praise, we are declaring as Paul did, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him," (II Timothy 1:12).

When we turn the matters of our lives over to His care and keeping, we are delivered from the tears of our own weakness and from the humor of our own foolishness. When we trust Jesus, we are set free to live each day in confidence because we know WHO holds our days in His hands.

May you trust Jesus more today than you ever yet have; may you love Jesus more today than you have ever yet allowed yourself to do. And in expanding in these two vital areas, may your cup of joy overflow more than it has ever done.