Look on the Bright Side!
IronMen!
Does your family look like a picture perfect vacation brochure photo with all smiles and laughter?
If you answered "yes", keep doing what you are doing.
If you answered "no", its ok. Mines doesn't look like one either, but we choose to rejoice anyways.
Cheering is good medicine. It is a command our Lord Jesus Christ command us to do.
We all need to celebrate more often even during hard times. I know it's hard to celebrate during hard times but let me explain. In times of struggle, cheering is an act of faith in God no matter what the situation is. Jesus once said in, John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
I am reminded of Joseph's brothers who were afraid of his vengeance when their father passed away. Because Joseph had a lot of power and influence in Egypt. But Joseph reassured his brothers by saying in Genesis 50:19 "Do not fear, I am not God" and in verse 20, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good".
Be of good cheer when we are faced with trails for there is something good God is enabling out of the pain.
Let's not cheer for the pain, but let us cheer for what good God is bringing out of our situation.
Nobody feels the need to cheer in difficult times. I don't feel like cheering when I am in a storm, when the car breaks down, or when a tragedy occurs in my life. But I choose to practice and do the will of God no matter how I feel.
Romans 8:28 tells us,
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Jesus told us to expect trails and in the same way he instructed us to be of good cheer. In Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Rejoice in difficult times? When your football team scores a touchdown, you and every other fan cheers. Oh what a feeling. But the real power of cheering comes when your team is not scoring. When your life is not going well or when your family is having a hard day or season. Let's choose to cheer even when we as brothers, husbands, and fathers don't have the answers.
Proverbs 15:15 states,
"A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song." Choosing to cheer is choosing to trust God no matter what's going on in our life.
When the times are hard, IronMen, lets choose to cheer.
People who cheer all the time, are the ones sorely missed when they're not around. Let's be an positive impact on our families by choosing to look at on the bright side no matter what we face. Our God is a faithful God and He works together all things (even the bad and painful things) for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His will.
IronMen, we are called to be sons, brothers, husbands, and/fathers. Let us take the stand to be of good cheer when trials and tribulations come our way. Let's look on the bright side that God is working all things for our good.
God bless,
Samuel Brooks
Thank you for sharing brother. Definitely a great reminder that in our difficult times to find joy in Christ.
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