Good morning!

This morning I awakened at 4 since it was a work day. I awoke with the usual disgruntled feeling of being robbed; robbed of the sweet peaceful blackness of sleep which at that particular hour always seems to be in its deepest and purest form. I was not excited to get up. At that split second I heard the theme music from the Dr. Phil show, then the voiceover exclaiming,“I want you to be excited about your life!” Must be the last thing I remember hearing on TV last night. The truth is, sometimes life is not that exciting, it just “is.” And despite what movies and advertising would have us believe, that is okay! We learn great lessons in the “okay” parts of life. In fact, I tend to learn much more in monotony and adversity than I ever do when things are going well. But here is the great secret of the Christian life.....No matter what the circumstance, there is always a reason to go on.

Nothing in this life or the next can destroy us when we belong to Him. He colors everything with the richness of His glory. He makes the joys more joyous and provides a backdrop of hope in every sorrow because He sorrows with us!
He is behind every ordinary moment, every sigh, breath, and belly laugh. He is behind, the hope of dawn’s restoration after a dark night. That is why we can have hope in every circumstance! How else could David say, “Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief,” then in the very same Psalm a few lines down,“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.”

It’s not wishful thinking, it’s not blind faith, it’s not positive thinking…it is faith based on knowledge. It is why we can still have absurd peace in the midst of sadness.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:7,8

I still wanted to be sleeping, but God gave me this sunrise on the way to work and I had to smile.