Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.— Rom. 12:12
I am troubled by the fact that I see so many unhappy Christians. To look at them you would think God is dead, or mighty sick and unable to help them. Why? How do we who have so much enjoy life so little? Pastor Jack Graham sheds some light on the subject with these words:

“What do you think is the one thing that really brings about joy and passion in our lives? I’ll tell you this: It’s not money. Money can get people going, but it won’t make them live with passion. I’d also say it’s not happiness. It doesn’t matter how happy someone is… happiness alone is a dead end road.

So what is it? Well, I’ve personally seen the one thing that really brings about joy, and it’s very simple: hope. This is especially true for Christians, who thrive on hope spiritually just as much as we do with oxygen physically. That’s because without the hope of heaven and the return of Christ, our faith becomes pointless.

But in Christ, we have a blessed and joyful hope that death isn’t the end. And it’s not a hope that wishes… it’s an eager expectation based upon a sure promise. It’s not just pie in the sky; it’s as sure as it can be!

Frankly, I talk with many people whose hope has run out. They’ve stopped believing in God’s promises and, as a result, have lost the joy that comes with the Christian life. Don’t lose hope. Cling to God’s every promise, and you’ll discover joy that goes beyond any circumstance!”

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus— Rev.14:12

We generally tend to think of “patience” as being a passive virtue, the ability to not fret or fume when things are not going our way. However, here we see patience described in terms of action and faithfulness.

The mark of sanctified patience, we are told, is keeping the commands of God and holding to the faith of Jesus, even in the midst of great personal struggle, pain, or discouragement. It is continued and committed action in the face of overwhelming challenges.

This is not the patience that we are used to contemplating or aspiring to. This patience is not merely waiting; it is also working. But doesn’t this truth coincide with your experience as a Christian?

One of the greatest weapons the devil uses against us is discouragement. If he, then, can render us dormant and inactive by sending trials our way, then he has effectively silenced our Christian witness. The only solution for the Christian who is facing opposition or tragedy or uncertainty is therefore to continue the Christian walk, obeying their Lord’s commands and persevering in the faith of Jesus.

All of us have a tendency to just shut down—or at least slow down—when difficulties come our way. But the way of patience is to endure the trial with faithful, continual service to Jesus Christ.–“A Good Thing”

“I will correct thee in measure”   (Jeremiah 30:11

To be left uncorrected would be a fatal sign: it would prove that the LORD had said, “He is given unto idols, let him alone.” God grant that such may never be our portion! Uninterrupted prosperity is a thing to cause fear and trembling. As many as God tenderly loves He rebukes and chastens: those for whom He has no esteem He allows to fatten themselves without fear, like bullocks for the slaughter. It is in love that our heavenly Father uses the rod upon His children. Yet see, the correction is in measure”: He gives us love without measure but chastisement “in measure.” As under the old law no Israelite could receive more than the “forty stripes save one,” which ensured careful counting and limited suffering; so is it with each afflicted member of the household of faith-every stroke is counted. It is the measure of wisdom, the measure of sympathy, the measure of love, by which our chastisement is regulated. Far be it from us to rebel against appointments so divine. LORD, if Thou standest by to measure the bitter drops into my cup, it is for me cheerfully to take that cup from Thy hand and drink according to Thy directions, saying, “Thy will be done.” (Faith’s Checkbook)

We are protected when corrected, because we are corrected in measure.

– – there shall be no night there.–-Revelation 21:25
Here in this fallen, sin-darkened world, we are troubled by a great many things. But “there” all shall be light and perfection. And the more we dwell on the glories to come the better we are able to cope with the difficulties here. I happened to be reading a message by Rufus Wheelwright Clark, delivered in 1853, when I ran across these encouraging words:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.– Psalms 121:1-2

I’ve had the habit of walking with my head down since I was a little boy. My mother used to say,”I can tell it’s Harold David coming down the road a mile away. He always walks with his head down”. I didn’t see that as a problem–I was looking for stuff! But, there is a sense in which looking downward is a very big problem. And there’s a lot of folks guilty of it. They are always focused on things below, rather than things above; the soil, rather than the stars; burdens rather than blessings; earthly problems rather than heavenly prospects.

The Psalmist was wiser than that. Rather than focusing on his miseries he looked to the mountains, for there he saw the handiwork of God and was reminded of His great power. He knew God was the source of his help. Looking to God rather than his grief he found a sense of safety that provided him peace and joy. Hopefully we will learn from him. Far too many of us are miserable because we are in the habit of walking with our head down, rather than looking up. We see nothing but problems, instead of looking to God and seeing provisions.

Fortunately some have discovered the secret to contentment. They keep their head up and their eyes on God. They look to God’s Word for comfort, confidence, and courage. And as their vision of His greatness increases the size of their doubts and fears decreases. On many occasions I’ve watched dogs on a cold day move out of the shadows into the sunshine so as to soak up the warm rays of the sun– we should be so wise. By keeping ourselves in the sunshine of God’s precious promises we find warmth and comfort in this cold hard world in which we live.

The Psalmist looked “unto the hills”, not at the valleys.Mountains are pictures of strength and stability, reminding us of what God is to us. So, whatever challenge you are confronted with today, remind yourself that “help cometh from the LORD”. With Him nothing is impossible. Shift your focus from your difficulty, depression, defeat, danger, etc. to the Lord. Take the up-look and you will have a new out-look.