CHOOSE JOY IN THE RAIN

by Tammy Phillips
March 11, 2021

Who [is] the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. (Psalm 25:12 NKJV)

 Who are those who fear the LORD? He will show them the path they should choose. (Psalm 25:12 NLT)

As I drove to Tuesday morning intercessory prayer, I should have been in a good place,  but I was not!  It was a gray, rainy day and my tears dripped ever so slowly.  My pastor, Mike Burnette, had challenged us during Sunday sermon: “Live in the promise not the pressure.”  I was feeling the pressure and I had let it affect me.  Why had I not immediately claimed the promise?  Why was I not standing on the promise?

Then I read a text encouragement:

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;” (Colossians 1:9-11)

Light bulb! Ding dong! Heller?

It is our choice!  IT IS OUR CHOICE!  Joy or pain.  Sunshine or rain. Choose joy! Choose sunshine!  It might be a stormy day; we may not see the sun.  The sun is always shining.  The sun is not moved by the storms nor by the high or low pressure system.  The sun is there patiently enduring.  It is persevering with joy. It stand unwavering and resolute everyday.

God strengthens us with all might so that we can persevere and be long suffering with JOY.  Storms are going to come.  Pressures are going to come. It’s our choice how we deal with them.

David states in Psalm 25:12: “If we fear him, He will teach us the way to choose.” God took me to school!  He reminded me that it is always my choice.  He reminded me to choose joy every time.  He reminded me to choose to persevere.  He reminded me to choose life and to live in the promise not the pressure.  He reminded me that He has strengthened me with all might according to his power and He is all powerful!  He reminded me that I can endure under all pressure with joy!  (Stand! Stand! Stand!)

I fear Him! I am amazed by Him!  He is so good He teaches us the way to choose and how to live in the promise!

I enCOURAGE you when the pressure comes, and you know it will come, to let His Amazing Self, teach you the way to choose!  Choose life!  Choose His promises!  He is always the right choice.