Day 212 – Be Glad

Be Glad

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”(Ps. 118.24)

So many people, these days, are prone to look at the negative things they are going through, rather than rejoice in what God has done for them. If you ask then how they are doing, or what their impression of the Christian life is, they respond by recounting their many adversities, continual conflicts and failings, their battle with temptations and the weariness of their soul. Rarely do you hear: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” (Ps. 126.3) Or, “In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8.37) Maybe that is why, “Be glad!” or “Rejoice!” are exclamatory verbs, indicating a command, rather than a statement or suggestion.

Being glad is an expression of passion. It is a “first love” emotion. It is when you just can’t get the smile off your face. Passion motivates and attracts. When we say that someone has charisma, we are saying that they are passionate about what they are doing, and others around them are motivated to do the same. The psychologist, Howard Friedman, in his book, The Longevity Project, revealed some astonishing results of a study of charismatic and non-charismatic personalities. He found that passionate people could change the mood of a group of people without even saying a word. Passion does rub off on others. Maybe this is what being “salt” is all about.

The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit. It is all positive. This doesn’t mean you don’t go through difficult times; you just don’t stay there. Paul Billheimer, in his book, Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, makes the point that we should learn and grow from the hard times and then go on. You can only do this by obeying the biblical command to: Be glad. “Rejoice always, and again I say rejoice.” (Phil. 4.4) And, “Give thanks in all circumstances”, (I Thess. 5.16), are directives for a healthy, Kingdom lifestyle. To live this way, you must take every negative thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (II Cor. 10.4), and think on those things that are above, (Col. 3.2). Studies have shown that thoughts change your brain chemistry, shaping what you say and how you say it. To change what comes out of your mouth, you must change what is in your heart.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm.” King David was enthusiastic, or passionate, about his God. He danced wildly in the streets, with no care as to what people thought. He proclaimed from the mountain tops: “Great is our God, and greatly to be praised” (Ps. 48.1) He ordered praise and rejoicing to be done 24/7. The people were to be glad always. God said of David that he was a man after His own heart. (I Sam. 13.14) Charisma, which means gift, is God’s present to us. We must open up this present and wear it at all times. Surround yourself with those people who are passionate about what you are passionate about. Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz, has said that anything is possible when you are surrounded by people of a collective passion and common purpose.

What makes your heart sing? What are you passionate about? Is God the love of your life? Negative people are those who have spent their lives doing what they are not passionate about. Identify your passion and concentrate on that. Joy is the result. Today is your day to be glad.

Scriptures to meditate on:

Psalms 118.24; 126.3; 70.4; 68.3; 40.16; 32.11; I Thess. 5.16; Phil. 4.4