No, no, it's OK, I'm not becoming one of those think yourself thin/happy kind of people. Those words are actually the words of the Apostle Paul as he stood before King Agrippa. He was just stating that he was happy to be able to share his testimony with King Agrippa. I had never seen that before....well, of course I have, but had never really noticed or thought of it much. This weekend our church had our (somethingith) annual Christian Ladies' Seminar....oops, people at my church will be disappointed that I don't know the number. :) Either way it was a wonderful weekend. The theme was liberty, I wondered how the speakers would use that, and boy did they use it well. I gained so much this past weekend! This phrase...I think myself happy... just keeps coming to mind. Mrs. Sheila Snider from Shawnee Baptist Church in Kentucky spoke about Flying High the Flag of the Joy Filled Life. She's the one who took us to Acts 26 where we saw those words of Paul. Again, I understand why Paul said this, but the Lord has used it to remind me that Paul was in a pretty rotten situation when he spoke those words. Yet he still spoke them. I understand he was just happy to be able to speak for himself before the king, but using those words just spoke volumes to me. When things are tough, can I still find joy/happiness? When things don't go the way I want them to go, or don't happen in the time I would like them to happen, am I able to still think happy thoughts, positive things? Do I allow sadness, depression, or discouragement to keep me from being happy or being able to find the simple joys? Sadly many times that is the case...times when even the good things end up with an ugly edge to them and keep me from enjoying the good. Times when Satan's lies scream to me to see the bad rather than the good...or to focus more on the bad rather than the good. So... I'm thankful for this verse. Thankful that the Lord has used it to help me consider how I think and how I handle situations that come my way. It's a process, and not an easy one, and I'm sure I'll struggle with it often, but I will try with the Lord's help to think myself happy...OK, I still worry about the way that sounds and how it might be perceived, so I'll say...I will try with the Lord's help to consider and count my blessings and find joy. :)
Lord, thank you for this past weekend... for great lessons learned, for things spoken in due season, for reminders of what You desire for us (me) and from us (me). Please remove and keep Satan's lies from my mind, and help me to see Your truth.
