grammar lesson

God put this verse in my path this evening while I was perusing Instagram:

New Living Translation

and in His grace He reminded me of this truth--
Those words and the two verses that come before them are not optional. They're commands.

(You) Always be joyful.
(You) Never stop praying.
(You) Be thankful in all circumstances.

Simple grammar that I taught my third graders last year. Imperative sentences.

This is His will for me because I belong to Christ Jesus.

It's not always easy to give thanks in all circumstances, but has He ever left us short of things to be thankful for?

Habakkuk seemed to understand this, even without ever reading Paul's letter. And maybe even without ever seeing the justice for the wickedness and violence he cried out to God for. And I really believe Habakkuk was able to rejoice, not just with his words but genuinely with his heart and whole being, even when everything around him was failing and hopeless. Because I don't believe God would give us his story in His Word if it weren't possible to follow.

And David's psalms. They paint such a perfect picture of life, don't they? They're real, and honest, and validate that our circumstances at times are hard and very overwhelming. David shows us that although we have this amazing freedom to grieve before the Lord in our circumstances, we still need to praise Him despite them.

I think that's the hardest part, the meshing of two realities: sin has brought such heaviness and brokenness and suffering into this world, yet God.is.still.good.

But I think it's a choice. A choice to be thankful, to take on joy instead of bitterness, because we're not always going to feel like doing those things when our hearts are weary. And the only reason we're able to choose joy and thankfulness, the only reason David was able to, is because God shows us His goodness. David experienced God's goodness and faithfulness and salvation and mercy, His strength and redemption and love. We have the opportunity to know Him like David did, too.

And so, based on my experiences with the Lord and not on my emotions, I will choose to rejoice and be thankful in my circumstances.