TO REJOICE IS A CHOICE

There was an incident that happened long ago, that we can learn a valuable lesson from. It is recorded in the book of Nehemiah.
 
There was a time, when God’s people had backslidden and eventually many were attacked and killed, and the rest were taken away captive to Babylon. The Lord said it would be for 70 years. When their time was up, the Lord made the way for them to be able to return to their homeland. But it was not easy.
 
Nehemiah, led a group there to help rebuild the city wall of Jerusalem. They got it done but with extreme opposition. They also needed to restore their temple and its aspects. The temple had been utterly destroyed and all within it had been carried away or destroyed. With their return, singers and porters were appointed as well as Levites for ministry. When it came time in the fall for Rosh Hashana and the Feast of Trumpets, it was requested of Ezra to read from the Book of the Law of Moses and the people listened attentively and in one accord. Upon hearing it, they realized their great need to get right with God.

• Nehemiah 8:9  And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

And the Lord did not want them to mourn or weep and further said:

• Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

 
There is a time and place for everything. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to sow and a time to reap. The Lord was pleased with their hearts and hard work. He wanted them to shake off the heaviness and sorrow and be lifted up in strength and joy.
 
The Tanakh, New JPS version, puts the last part of verse 8 above like this:

• "... Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength."

 
If anyone ever needed strength, these people did. Sometimes, it is not just a matter of choosing to rejoice in the Lord but in first choosing “not to be sad.” Sometimes, many of us need to seriously make the choice that we do not want to be sad or depressed. Living with sadness, frustration and heaviness can all too often become part of our lifestyles. In order to overcome it, we must address “sadness” for what it is in our own particular circumstances. The heaviness of sadness can drag a person so low they do not even want to get out of bed or pick their feet up when they walk. This is not the life God wants for us.
 
When we reject sorrow and we choose to rejoice in the Lord despite the pain or circumstances, everything changes. Sorrow cannot stay. Peace comes. If we stay with it, joy will manifest. The more we praise the Lord from deep within and trust in Him for help in our circumstances, the stronger we will become.
 
Two of my favorite songs that lift me up are “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” and “Victory In Jesus.” We each need to have our own special songs. The main thing is to get singing! Get back to being thankful for the good and stop focusing on the bad, especially on the parts that we cannot change. Let us send heaviness and despair down the road. Let us get our eyes back on our sovereign Lord who turns all things for good for us in the long run. When we rejoice in the Lord our God, this is where our strength comes from! 

Eli Cockrell