Shake Off the Eyeore Syndrome!

LAUGH! REJOICE! CELEBRATE LIFE!

Go on...put a smile on your face! Look at yourself in the mirror and determine to live out today in joy!

Romans 12:12 encourages us to, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (NIV)
 
Regardless of our circumstances, we have every reason to celebrate life. Why? Because nothing can separate us from the love of God! Nothing can steal our salvation!
 
Sometimes I find myself acting like Eyeore (from Winnie the Pooh). My private thoughts shift to doom and gloom from the little disappointments in life... you know ... the gradual things of life that creep in ... attempting to drain every ounce of joy?
 
The truth is, if our circumstances determine our joy we can be be rattled, tossed around, and ultimately defeated...but when our hope rests in the truth of Who God is and what He has promised us...we cannot be shaken!
 
Today, I awoke singing a song I sang as a kid in Children's Church:
 
(the boys sang) "This is the day" ...
(and then the girls echoed) "This is the day"...
"That the Lord has made" ... "That the Lord has made" ...
"I will rejoice!" ... "I will rejoice" ... "
And be glad in it" ... "And be glad in it!"
 
Then in unison we all sang ... "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!"
 
(Then the boys) This is the day ...
(followed by the girls) this is the day.
 
(We stretched out the last line as far out as possible, reverberating our little voices as loud as we possibly could) ... "That the Lord has made!"

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; (and) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Did you catch that last line? "This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

What's His will for us? "To be joyful ALWAYS! To pray CONTINUALLY! And to give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES!"

So join with me today; shake off the EYEORE SYNDROME ... let the grey cloud circling over your head be obliterated ...  don't focus on the "oh woe is me" stuff ... rather remember ... God is faithfully leading you and empowering you ... He will never fail you.  Let the truth of Who He is and the Promises He's given you fill you with LAUGHTER! 


PRAYER: (Taken directly from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."