Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (NASB)

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. (MSG)

Years ago, I caught myself frowning a lot. I would look in the mirror and see the lines in my forehead. It was an eye-opener. I didn't want those creases to become permanent.

I thought about how easy it would be if I could just plug in the iron, turn it on, and iron the wrinkles out. I knew I couldn't do that, so I had to make a choice. I could choose to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders and continue to frown, or I could choose to praise God for His goodness to me and relax my facial muscles.

I'm happy to say that at that time, I made the decision to rejoice in the Lord and to be thankful for what God had given me. There are times, though, when I still pick up the load and carry it again — and yes, it does affect my facial expressions.

May we ever be conscious of the choices we make. Even in the midst of trouble, we can rejoice.

James 1:2 – Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. (NASB)

We can rejoice because God is good; we can rejoice because He knows what is best for us; we can rejoice because we are growing and becoming more like Him.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that we do have choices. You have made us that way. We can choose to love You or not. We can choose to be thankful or not. We can choose to rejoice in You or not. Help us always to make the right choices. Amen.

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About the author:

Judy Miller <gjmiller@telusplanet.net>
Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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