Don’t Neglect to Be Joyful
Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything, and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. ~Deuteronomy 28:47-48
When you read Exodus through Deuteronomy, you know there is a much bigger picture than what I’m highlighting here, but I was struck that much of the calamity God was sending on the Israelites was due to their lack of joy and gratitude. He had done so much for them, but they had a way of always seeing what they didn’t have.
Many today are the same way. Single people desire to be married while married people wish they were single. Discontentment fills the workplace, the church, the family. And can one make enough money these days? There is nothing wrong with trying to do better or be better, but when that becomes your obsession, it may have crossed over into ingratitude.
I just finished a Bible study on Philippians entitled, Joy in the Midst. Throughout this epistle, Paul tells us to rejoice. Whether it was fellow believers rejoicing with him or just in general, he emphasized the importance of being joyful in all circumstances. I thank God often for calling me, for bringing me through trials and continuing to care for me as only He can.
If you are unfortunate enough to have an enemy or an adversary, think about what it would be like to serve that person. That in itself may bring you to your knees in thanksgiving that you serve, not a harsh taskmaster, but a loving Father who, like all of us, desires to be loved and appreciated.
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