Joy Comes With The Morning

There are times in a Christian's life when things don't go the way he/she wanted. Yes, we do have good times of God's blessing and we find it easy to sing God's praises from a heart that is full of joy. But then we may find ourselves in a different situation — perhaps with illness or some danger or even when we feel 'out of sorts' with God.

At times like that we may well feel God is angry with us, distant from us, and that we have lost favour with him. Psalm 30 deals with situations like that. The writer felt at times that he was at the bottom of a deep hole. But then he says God lifted him up and he found that although God "gets angry once in a while, but across a life-time there is only love" and "the nights of crying our eyes out give way to days of laughter" V 5 (The Message). Joy comes with the morning!

The writer wants us to realise that life is not one great 'rosy day' when everything will go smoothly. There will be tough times, stormy days times when our faith in God will be tested. Yet he keeps telling us God is for us. He wants us to be happy with God. That is how he was when God answered his prayers during periods of feeling 'down'. And so it will be with us when we trust God completely. 'God filled my heart with gladness and clothed my soul with radiant joy. (Jim Sayers)

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to trust you day by day and know you in my heart so that I will praise your name. Amen.