Celebrating with Joy & Gratitude the Divine Bounty Given: Part 2

The Gap between Anxiety & Worry & Gratitude & Peace

So the question is; “How can we bridge the gap between the weight of sadness, grief & anxiety over our earthly living which from time to time we all experience & the expression of joy & gratitude that comes from our love & thanksgiving for our Creator?”  How can we awaken the slumbering joy of our hearts that comes from knowing & trusting the Lord who brings us the Holy peace that passes all understanding & makes us whole?

Awakening the Slumbering Joy that Resides in our Hearts

The imperative to rejoice is the most frequently stated imperative in the Bible.  Our hearts are to be glad (joyful in the Lord) because God’s steadfast love endures forever.  The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians repeatedly calls all people to trust God & live consistently from a place of joyful gratitude regardless of what situation or season they may find themselves in.  Paul is not talking about simply feeling happy, he is talking about living from a place of joyful gratitude for all that God “IS”.  There is a difference between happiness & joyfulness.  Happiness is a worldly term. It is dependent on happenings. It is temporary. Happiness lasts just as long as the events that make us feel happy, last.  It is easy to be happy when things are going well. Happiness is related to our particular circumstances.  For example; I feel happy I have friends, I feel happy I have a house, I feel happy I have a job, I feel happy I am not sick right now, etc.  No doubt I feel grateful for all those things too but if they ended or were taken away, I would feel unhappy.  Joy is far more than happiness.  Joy is eternal. Joy is related to our relationship with God.  Joy is not an emotional response to a particular situation.  Joy resides within our hearts, despite our situation. The expression of joy may be temporarily affected by happenings, but the joy of knowing, trusting & celebrating the Lord is rooted deep in the heart.  Regardless of what is going on, living from a place of gratitude is a gift of Grace, for it brings us into a life of peace, a peace that passes all understanding.  Prayer & praise are the rubric for holding the experiences of life in relationship to God.  We bridge the gap between our earthly pain & anxiety & live into a life of joy, praise, & peace that passes all understanding, as we commune with God through prayer.  We are called by God to be living doxologies in this life we’ve so graciously been given.  The gift of peace that transcends all earthly understanding awaits us & ushers us into healthy living. We invite you to rejoice for the gifts given & claim the peace that is promised.
 

Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!

All that hath life & breath, come now with praises before Him!

Let the Amen sound from His people again;

Gladly for aye we adore Him.

~Posted by Rev Kathryn Bindig, MDiv. MS; Spiritual Consultant with assistance from Rich Muscatello; Director of Business Development & Strategy