Rejoice with those who rejoice

Everyone in our church who knows our daughter and son-in-law well may be struggling today with the sin of envy for they are headed to sunny, WARM Florida !  As we exchanged texts early this morning she told me she was looking forward to 80 degree temperatures in a matter of a few hours. That’s about an 80 degree upswing !  What a blessing !! Ha !!    I’m reminded of an important verse of Scripture we all tend to struggle with, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15).     How easy it is to rejoice when you are enjoying something you’d consider a blessing but when others do, because we contend with our sin nature and problems here, our tendency is to wonder “Why not me Lord?”   “Why do they enjoy that?”   When truth is, we should be Christ and other person centered enough that we are genuinely joyous for the blessings God gives to others.  But as we look through the prism of our difficulties and focus on our burdens it becomes difficult to muster up true joy for others when we are immersed in our own misery !   Thus we need to be commanded to rejoice so.

When you find yourself jealous at others remember this Divine mandate to change your attitude and rise above the sinful thoughts that threaten to drag you down further and ruin your testimony.    Sometimes our lack of blessing is due to our own sin and we may be experiencing a harvest consistent with past transgressions but thankfully we don’t need to stay there. With God’s Word as our guide we can start a good harvest that will in time change the bad crop to a blessed one so be not weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not (Gal.6:9).

Remember this when you are tempted to not rejoice as our text states:  If you are saved, you already are blessed without seeing all the blessings in store for you !   You have enjoyed some but there is so much more on the horizon for you, in fact an eternity’s worth awaiting YOU !!!!   So if life is a little rough now, if the frigid temperatures have you down and longing for warmth, the blessings are ahead, my friend, because you are His child.   REJOICE today, its only right and it glorifies the Lord.