“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11

 “Now is your time of grief, but i will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy.” John 16: 22

“rejoice in the Lord always.  i will say it again rejoice!” Philippians 4:

 “in all things give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 thess 5:18

i would read these passages, and approach them from the place i think Zechariah was when the angel told him Elizabeth would be pregnant.  “you did not believe my words.” was Gabriel’s charge to him.  (see Luke 1)

i honestly read over the words and dismissed them.

but i wanted to believe them.  The Lord’s been working a change in me: 

now, reading these words i’m hearing Mary’s response to Gabriel:  “How can this be?  since I am a virgin?”

that is becoming my response to Joy- “How can this be?  Since i am a human?”

i believe You now Lord, but i don’t understand.

He has been showing me that the power to enjoy is something that is given by Him, by the Holy Spirit living within.

that nothing shall be impossible with Him.

and my response is becoming; “May it be to me as you have said.”

today-this very day.

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i’ve been working through this specifically since Saturday. Saturday i was misunderstood at Bible Study.  and it was the drive home that He and i had the above conversation. 

and then more practice came.

i ran errands with a friend who had a pass from treatment for errands.  i got to see firsthand the Lord’s victory in the battle to return to treatment.  i was still rejoicing in His victory when the call came that actually, it was only a temporary win and she was now leaving treatment.  and i said no to help her do so. 

and i was agitated and frustrated and we had planned to go out to dinner to celebrate my daughter’s cross country season.  and i knew-i needed His power to enjoy the evening with my family.  so i was (yet again) driven to my knees (hence the post from Saturday) and He did it.  i took a walk, and He spoke truth to my heart about what happenned at Bible Study and the other events of the day.  He enabled me to return and focus in on my family present and enjoy their company and the evening out. i felt joy within.  i felt it!

today, yet again, i am faced with the need for the provision of joy.  my son is home sick.  sickness often comes to rob and steal as the thief that it is. 

because i find myself so often thinking that if only we wouldn’t get sick so much, and if only our budget could stretch a little more and we could have a toilet up in our cabin, and if only i could change this or that about my house to make it function better….then i could enjoy this day, my cabin, my home, etc….

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The Joy Giver, the Author and Perfecter of my faith has said:

“and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

therefore, i respond:

“i am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”

Provide this one with Your Power to enjoy…today.


this is part of a 31 day series on Provision.  To see the first post in the series click here.  To read the entire series click here and read backwards (the first post is listed last, the latest post is listed first-i don’t know how to change that. thank you for grace.)