Ups and Downs
James 5:13 Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing.
I don’t know about you, but the plan I have for my life is that it should all bubble along just nicely, punctuated often by some happy times and very, very rarely (if ever) by those down times. Does that sound about right?
Of course, life isn’t like that. Ups and downs often come at us out of nowhere, with absolutely no warning. Yes, we can minimise the downs by walking away from sin and its terrible consequences. But at the same time, things can happen in an instant that take us either down in the dumps or up onto a mountaintop. That’s life.
But if you believe in Jesus, if you’ve decided to follow Him wherever He leads, if your heart truly yearns to honour and obey Him, then He is with you right where you are, whatever life throws at you. And here’s His Word on dealing with those ups and downs – or should I say, downs and ups:
James 5:13 Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing.
Short and sweet, yet so powerful. Fact: troubles will come. When they do, press into prayer. When they do, let God be your first port of call. When they do, know that He’s right with you, right in that place, ready, willing and able to lead you through those troubles.
And when the good times come – happy days! Sing, rejoice, be glad; praise God for His goodness; thank Him for His blessings. I think sometimes we don’t celebrate those good times the way we should – because … man, God is in that place too and He is greatly to be praised!
Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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