"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." — Psalm 28:7
When my mum was diagnosed with cancer, I remember that Sunday so vividly when my parents broke the news to us. There was a sermon series on Nehemiah and that morning, we were studying chapter 8. I remember be captivated by verse 10, where it says, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” And I clung to that verse, and still do, because it is only that knowing we are saved by the grace of God, that we have that hope of assurance, love, joy and peace.
The Bible talks about suffering as well as joy, but it is through our suffering that we must cling to the Joy we have in God. Joni Eareckson Tada said, "Every trial is an opportunity to showcase the deep, abiding joy that only Jesus can give.” She has been on my mind a lot recently.
Her strength during her constant trial of being a paraplegic, someone who will never walk again yet rejoices in knowing God has carried her through this journey and she rejoices more knowing she has eternity to delight in the presence of God, pain-free.
Life is tough for many people, from emotional pain to physical pain. Yet we have One who is our strength and our shield therefore my heart greatly rejoices and with my song I will praise Him all the day long. In Psalm 16:11, I am shown that in the presence of the King, there is fulness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Endless joy, endless delight, endless pleasures and that can only be found in God.
When we are faced with challenges (and we will face those during our Christian walk), we must rejoice in the Lord always “and again I say, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Will it be easy? No. Do I always rejoice in every trial that hits me? No. YET we have been clothed in the garments of salvation (Isaiah 61:10). Lord, make my soul joyful in MY God. I will greatly rejoice in MY Lord.
I want to leave you with this thought-provoking quote that Joni said.
“When you know Jesus Christ, the joy of the Lord becomes your strength — not in spite of suffering, but because of it.”