Let us praise HIS Glorious NAME
with a JOYFUL noise
for suffering tries to steal our hope, like a thief on the prowl it attacks
Hope rests in the LORD, HE is our defense
He does NOT fail to provide love and light
Darkness suffocates like clouds covering the moon - still the moon lights the darkness
Be vigilant, be awake to hear the silent peace of the LORD
Trouble comes crashing like the waves
Remember who created the ocean
Jesus calmed the storm
Do not fear, do not panic
rather abide in peace and joy with thankful hearts
and invest all your anxieties in the trust of the LORD
who turns suffering into joy and creates lessons of character in hardship
Praise be to GOD
I wrote this prayer as a poem of gratitude and hope in the darkness of fear - many of us do not fear God's grace through Christ of the gift of eternal life - so why is it so hard for us to fathom that God is providing for us this very second in a love greater in a nanosecond than all the love we could give in a lifetime...why do we doubt in God's temporal provision? God has time and again proven HIS mercy and faithfulness time and again - still we doubt - does God care about our lives on earth.
So many of us are going conditioned to think suffering is the way to live at all times because it equates to salvation. Christ suffered so we would not have to. Troubles will come but trouble and turmoil is not the way of life in Christ - Christ wants to bless us in LOVE and has promised to take care of our physical needs if we let him. When trouble comes HE stands vigilant in defense - it is better to suffer in doing the right moral thing than living a good life by the flesh but forsaking salvation.
Christ tells us to be joyful even in suffering. Yet I was condition in my broken home (father's house) that I was worthless and this life was a time of suffering - I was forsaken and I found myself giving up on my abilities - instead just assuming that in my love of Christ salvation from this earthly sojourn was all I could hope for.
Matthew 6:16 "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face…
Christ is a psychiatrist and physician - it took years of critical thinking, psychological study and most importantly prayer and journeys through trial and life lessons in the hardship to finally realize though suffering comes in life, LIFE is about living joyfully. We are not to be focused on negative aspects of life - but rather joyful in our love of Christ, ready to serve and love our neighbor as ourselves. That is why it is so important we learn to love ourselves through the peace of joy and hope - not egotistical love, but the acceptance of the pure love Christ gives us in HIS grace. I knew God loved me, but I felt like such a failure that I let negative thoughts and fears dominate my life - I assumed God wouldn't intervene in any really issue except the health of my soul for eternal salvation - he cared about day to day activities - but I just assumed he didn't care about helping me with some really important goals in my life - music and writing - I still struggle in confidence. God lets us know if something is not in his plan with a succinct NO! (such as with my stepmother refusing to pay her debt to me)...on the other hand you need to pray for discernment between setbacks that divert you to a better way to use your gifts - or is that setback revealing the dead end road in your ambition.
I gave us prematurely because I had a set way of wanting things to work out. God have to take me out of my element so I could learn HIS will before pursuing the goal again. I still fear as I return to music and work on my writing goals - what about the money and my talent - but I trust in God to guide me.
Joy is a great gift spiritually, mentally and physically. True undeterred joy comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and soul and Christ in our lives. Joy is a compass towards the hope of heaven as it tills God's kingdom on earth with light and love, forgiveness and mercy, friendship and thanksgiving.
Doctors and scientists have expounded the detriments of stress and anxiety on the body and the benefits of living with an attitude of gratitude and positivity. Psychology Today article of interest. Stress can cause all sorts of health problems. My anxiety and stress level caused inflammation and hives - cortisol issues leading to weight gain and other issues...stress and worry solve nothing - joy might not wash away the pain of suffering or offer an instant lotto ticket to happiness - but it helps to ease our burden and offer a way forward into LIFE.
Once again I make it clear that living with positivity doesn't mean you are blind to suffering or you deny negative aspects of life - but in positive mindfulness you are able to fully grasp the situation, turn it over to God and work as a servant of joy and peace.
On This Side of Paradise I hope to continue to focus on ways of being joyful and to spread peace and love to help heal a suffering world. I have found such peace in turning over my anxiety to Christ, allowing HIS yoke to take the burdens off my shoulder or at least help me carry those burdens I cannot fully expunge - so they do not block my way forward or my faith. I pray this for everyone to be free of fear - fear is an emotion that paralyzes - fear can be rooted in a real crisis but when we allow fear to control us versus be a stimulus for action of the heart and mind we will be in a personal captivity of the mind and soul.
Cognitive therapy is one of the primary tools in helping to work through false cognition - this needs to be paired with a spiritual acceptance of one's loving self, respect of our souls as holy and seeking to keep then clean - we must confess and ask for help readily and humbly - this is not easy but God gives us the tools - Christ is our advocate, the saints our guides and we have people all around us in the social sciences and medical community and faith community to be lights in the world.
When we are joyful even in chaos we can be a light to dissipate the darkness. There is a lot of negative energy in my work environment related to incompetent management and petty jealousy - it used to suck my energy dry - I became a empathetic sponge - feeling all the oppressive energy of the workplace - I started to be negative all the time - I saw no hope out of the situation - God granted me a perspective change - helping me to recognize the issues but instead of reacting negatively I work to be the best employee I can be and tuning out the negative energy with joy - meaning I don't let negative thoughts cloud my judgment or bring me down to despair. I still want to find another job - but for now I am joyfully accepting the situation and optimistic that God will help guide me to a better situation. In extreme trial (death of a love one and persecution) this is almost impossible - but negative only begets negative - joy is an elixir that empowers.
How to be joyful? It is not an easy process to rewire the switchboard in your brain especially when negative aspects of the ego seek to make you feel worthless and work to block healing. We are creatures by habit - so we need divine medicine to operate on our mental neurosis.
I have found praying a NOVENA, reading scripture and listening to my favorite calming upbeat music helps.
Another wonderful exercise is to affirm bible verses of God's protection and love and to keep a gratitude journal - a topic we'll explore in my next blog entry.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ you implored us to cast all our anxieties on you.
You selflessly carried the burden of sin on the cross
This greatest mercy and grace is a LIVING testament that we should be JOYFUL
Anxiety steals joy and sets our hearts against faith in you
Help us instead to problem-solve, to find solutions to the fears of our heart
through your peace and the Holy Spirit guide us. I know you will not fail us LORD Jesus
For you suffered but did not let pain destroy your HOPE, even in your cry to your FATHER 'Why have you forsaken me?' This agony was in direct communion of hope in your Father's care and teaches us to be willing to confront you in suffering so we can find peace in the desert times. Joy springs out in a light of a thousand stars. Be our north star, compass and guide and let us joyfully praise you and drink of your healing waters. Heal us and protect us LORD CHRIST. Amen
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