Smile your way through trials

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy."      James 1:2   NLT 

Charlie Chaplin, the great film star, was also a composer of music and penned quite a few classics over his life time. One of them, along with Geoffrey Parsons and John Turner went like this:

Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shining through for you

if you just smile

When we put these words together with the above text, there is a connection - joy. James doesn't say if trouble comes your way but, when it does. The point here is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain but to have a positive outlook (Consider it an opportunity for great joy), because of what troubles can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our problems into a time of learning because, tough times can teach us perseverance.

Warren W Wiersbe writes: 'Outlook determines outcome and attitude determines action.' It is how we receive such troubles in our life. We can either have a crisis and fall into great fear or, face the trouble and determine our way forward. There is always a way out, Jesus will ensure there is. It just takes a bit of finding.

Ask yourself, what is the point of getting into a complete state, losing your peace and consequently, getting yourself into such a panic that you can't even hear God? I know it is difficult, I've been there many times and not always took the positive route. It is how we view the situation; it can either consume you or you consume it and the only way you will be able to consume it is with the Joy of the Lord, because this is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Troubles, if we allow them, can completely disarm us. Obviously, it depends on the severity of them but, all of them are not what we were expecting. Sometimes we can change the situation, sometimes we can't. We just have to take the rough with the smooth. But there really is a way through them, especially when we face them with the joy and strength of the Lord.

Therefore today, whatever you are facing, seek God's help, look at the outlook and determine that the outcome will be positive no matter what. Get your attitude in line with with God's power and forge a way forward in victory and triumph.This is what people do in their Daily Walk with Jesus.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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