Being Glad

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24


One of my favorite childhood books was Pollyanna, the story of the the optimistic young girl who always found something to be glad about – even when bad things happened.

I was reminded recently of that literary friend when my real-life friend fell and broke her arm while riding her bicycle. Marianne told me how thankful she was that she was able to ride all te way back home and how grateful she was that she wouldn’t need to have surgery. It was her left arm (she’s right-handed), she said, so she would still be able to work. And wasn’t it great, she marveled, that she has good bones, so her arm should heal fine! And wasn’t it wonderful that it hadn’t been any worse!

Whew! Marianne is an example of someone who has learned to rejoice in spite of trouble. She has a confidence that God will care for her – no matter what.

Suffering eventually touches us all. And in times of difficulty, thankfulness is usually not our first response. But I think God looks at us with pleasure when we find reasons to be thankful (1 Thess. 5:16-18). As we realistically look for the good despite our bad circumstances, we can be grateful that God is holding us close. It is when we trust in His goodness that we find gladness. – Cindy Hess Kasper


Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed. – Cushing

Thankfulness finds something good in every circumstance.

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Psalms 30

I will extol you, Yahweh, for you have raised me up, And have not made my foes to rejoice over me. Yahweh my God, I cried to you, And you have healed me. Yahweh, you have brought me up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Sing praise to Yahweh, you saints of his. Give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, But joy comes in the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”

You, Yahweh, when you favored me, made my mountain to stand strong. But when you hid your face, I was troubled. I cried to you, Yahweh. To Yahweh I made supplication. “What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth? Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me.

Yahweh, be my helper.” You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent. Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

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Always be thankful to everything...