Mourning into Dancing

Something I was thinking of after some talks with my sister and running this morning...

Being a follower of Jesus doesn't imply that bad times will never come...there are the mountains and the valleys - and the valleys are very real and sometimes painful, even when we are walking with God!

We live in a world polluted by sin and are compelled daily to deal with the consequences of that sin - both our own and that of other people. We do not escape the effects of sin just because we accept Jesus and his forgiveness. But the difference should be the manner in which we approach the painful aspects of our lives. If we know God, we can trust Him in everything - even in those valleys - and say "I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths" (Ps 30:1).

It is often when we are in the depths of those valleys that we really learn to count on God to get us through. When the walls that we have erected to help us keep our balance are knocked down around us, we begin to sink in the the 'slimy mire' - and we come face-to-face with the fact that God Himself is the only One strong enough to rescue us! Wow!

I think of David, and how he danced before the Lord in celebration after confessing His sin to the Lord. God turns our mourning into dancing, if we will seek Him and let Him!! (Ps 30:5 - though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning!!!) It is during these times that we experience new dimensions of our relationship with Him and receive fresh new assurances of His unceasing love and care....new revelations of His character to trust in the next time we're in the valley!

Dance before the Lord today and be encouraged!