She Who Laughs, Lasts (Mary Engelbreit)

This morning I woke up feeling so full of rage inside that I wanted to explode.  I struggled through getting breakfast ready, having breakfast with my family, all the while praying in my heart that this horrible feeling would go away.  I had no idea where it was even coming from.  We started school for the day and I was still raging with this unexplained anger inside.  Halfway through Jack's math class I finally had to excuse myself and get on my knees and pray for peace.  It didn't help.  I was still restless.  It began to dawn on me that the devil was starting to respond to my "count it all joy" campaign.  The devil has had enough.  This morning I was feeling very defeated and weak, not wanting to continue on.   I cried out in my heart "I can't do this Lord."  BINGO!  That is EXACTLY where the Lord wants me.  "I can't do this" is actually a wonderful place to be.  It is where my pride gets a swift kick and I begin to realize yet again that I need to rest in the One who CAN do this.  As this morning has progressed, I found myself singing the refrain of the following hymn.  We have not sung this hymn for a long time so I know the Lord put this song in my heart because He knew I needed to focus on His power that can make me what I ought to be and it is best for Him to have His way with me. 

His Way with Thee
by Cyrus S. Nusbaum, 1898

Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain
His power can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
’Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?
Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?
Would you have Him save you, so that you can never fall?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain

Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?
Would you prove Him true in providential test?
Would you in His service labor always at your best?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain


I cannot even begin to fathom the depth of despair that Job must have felt at times and yet he chose to glorify God for allowing the circumstances in his life.  At the end of the book of Job we read in chapter 42, verses 1-6  (English Standard Version)

Then Job answered the LORD and said:
 ² “I know that you can do all things,
   and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
   things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
⁴ ‘Hear, and I will speak;
   I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
   but now my eye sees you;
⁶ therefore I despise myself,
   and repent in dust and ashes.”

Count it all joy.  It is not just a suggestion.  It is what we need to do in order to continue on in this journey to be what Christ wants us to be.   God has ways of encouraging us on in this journey as well.  This morning our mail arrived as usual and in our mail was a note of encouragement from a friend.  That friend no more knew how I would wake up this morning than I knew and yet the timing of that note was perfect.  The front of the card read "SHE WHO LAUGHS, LASTS" and it broke chain of anger I was feeling because suddenly I wanted to laugh!  God is good like that.  He can lay it on anothers heart to send a note and time it perfectly.  The last line of the personal note inside read "I know you have been 'counting it all joy' and just thought I would encourage you to keep on."  As soon as I read that I was thanking God in my heart for friends who are sensitive to God's leading in their lives as well as thanking Him for the ability to, say it with me now, COUNT IT ALL JOY!  Now go a be a blessing today...there are people who need you to show them how to count it all joy.  (insert big grin here)