Nehemiah 8:10 b “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Today I want to give you a personal illustration of how the Lord brings joy to our hearts if we are open to receiving it.
You can ask my family, I am not good when awakened in the night. When I fall asleep it is dangerous to wake me before the alarm goes off. I have worked hard as a mom to be there for my children during the night, but it is always a huge battle in my mind each time I have to get up in the night. I did pretty well when they were infants, but as they get older it is more of a struggle.
Picture this if you will: I struggled for over an hour to get my chatty boy (the apple did not fall far from the chatty tree here) to quiet down and fall asleep. It was around midnight when he finally went out. (I know, what an awful mom to let her baby stay up so late. We live with nocturnal beings and I have had to adapt to the night life. Samuel has adapted well. We are both diurnal beings and believe the old adage early to bed early to rise…. But what can one do?)
To continue, I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I intended to get up at 6:30, have some quiet time and then go to my volunteer job. Samuel had other plans for my night. Between 2 and 4 a.m. he was up 3 times crying to be held, rocked, or to sleep in Mommy’s big boy bed (Mommy and Daddy’s bed).
By the time I got him in my bed at 4:30, after 30 minutes of rocking, I was ready to scream. No sooner did I lay down then he cried, “Change my diaper.” I checked and he felt dry to me but he was insistent that he was wet so I grudgingly got up and changed him. What do you know? He was dry. I change him anyway to get him to settle down, wasting a diaper in the process. Urgh!!!!
I then took him back to rock, as sleeping with him between us is next to impossible for me. As I rock I hear a toot, which turns out to be explosive diarrhea. Urgh!!!! Could this night get any worse? I wait a bit to be sure he is finished then off we go to the changing table again. This time it is full but still dry. Before I can get his new diaper on he yells, “ I need to go on my potty.” Seriously?!
Off we run to the bathroom. I put him on the potty and in a couple of seconds I hear tinkling. Woohoo!! He did it!! We get all excited, celebrating with high-fives, then off for a clean diaper.
I now need to clean the potty so he sits on the bed to wait for me to finish.
Upon my return to the bedroom he informs me he’s hungry. Really? So off we go to the kitchen for yogurt. I figure it might help with the hunger and the diarrhea.
By this time I am exhausted. I need sleep!! I decided to suffer with him in our bed. I get him settled then crawl in. He yells, “Get off me, I can't move!” At that moment it hits me how absurd this night has been.
At that moment the Holy Spirit drops laughter in my heart and I begin to laugh. I laughed so hard I cried. I tried to stop and be quiet but the harder I tried to stop the more the joy increased. I laughed for a long time. I shook the bed as I belly laughed. I felt a bit bad for Scott who was by now totally awake too. But it couldn't be stopped!
Proverbs 17:22a “A cheerful heart (laughter) is good medicine…”
No matter what we may be facing the joy of the Lord will be our strength if we will allow it to be. In every trial or circumstance God will give us joy if we will seek him. The Word tells us he gives joy for sorrow..
Isaiah 61:3 “To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.”
If we are planted by the Lord that means he will care for us in each season of life. He will bring rain (refreshing) when we need it, he will bring gentle breezes (comfort through his Spirit), he will bring sunshine (joy and peace), he will fertilize our hearts (the Word), and he will kill the weeds that try to grow up around us (strength and wisdom to face the enemy in each battle).
Whatever you are facing today please know that he is there. Stay planted in him and allow your roots to dig deep. Allow his joy to strengthen you and his peace to comfort your heart!!
All Scripture is NLT unless otherwise stated.
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