REJOICE!!

I started this train of thought back in March. I was at Barnes & Noble, enjoying some hot coffee and reading the "Peace Maker", by Ken Sande, and a commentary on 1 Samuel, by Dale Ralf Davis. I was having a hard time reading "Peace Maker", because it didn't seem applicable to me, and surprisingly compared to the commentary on 1 Sam., it was was dry. But it was required reading for Serge. One of those books that may not be applicable now, but would be good to have just in the back of the brain for a "some day". So there I was reading it when this train of thought it me... that had really nothing to do with "peace making".

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE. (Philippians 4.4-9) 

Why don't we rejoice? Why aren't we happy? Why do we have to "paint" a smile on it? If we're Christians; we have a future and a hope. And yet Paul has to tell us through all of the book of Philippians to rejoice.... In verse 4 Paul says rejoice. ALWAYS. Always. Even when I don't want to? Even when I'm hurting or confused? Even when I'm stressed? Or broke?

ABSOLUTELY!!

I can't help but wonder... if we're burying ourselves in the Word, maybe we will rejoice. Always. And maybe even somewhere in the middle we'll discover that the negative we thought was eating us up, is no more. Maybe.

Mind you I wrote this back in March. The big struggle for me in March was to rejoice through the process of raising support. Stressed with the unknowns of whether or not I was going to be leaving in June or in September (or NEXT summer)!! The unknowns with what doors I needed to be knocking on, to get to the field by June.....

Almost 2 months later.... Some of those unknowns are "known's". I am not leaving in June. I only reached 65% of my support by my beginning of May deadline. Sadly the excitement of reaching 65% was lost on not making the deadline. My departure date has been bumped to September, if I can get 100% of my support by the beginning of August.

I have to confess, I did not rejoice when all this came about a week ago. In fact, I felt God had done me wrong. Even though I know that's impossible. Wasn't He the one that called me to go to Ireland? Wasn't He the one that was making me walk this path?? Why in the world wouldn't He bring in the support?? Unless of course there's something here I still need to be here for... Like for example, learning His timing, not mine... Weird. A week or so later, I'm ok with the new deadline. Thinking big picture picture: there's a bigger picture happening right now. And it's not time for me to go over there yet... That peace of God that Paul talks about in Phil 4.7, (...and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.) I have some of that happening! I'm excited about having 3 more months to raise support! For the first time since December I feel like I can breath, (which I didn't even know I wasn't doing!). I have roughly 35% more monthly support to raise, so that's roughly about 10% a month more to raise. As I rejoice now, I pray that someday my first response to disappointment will be rejoicing, not hurt and anger.