Continual

But I will hope continually,

and will praise You yet more and more.

My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

and Your salvation all the day,

for I do not know their limits.

Psalm 71:14-15, NKJV

Why are you always so happy? What are you always smiling about? For years I have had to put up with those kinds of questions from almost everyone, as if expressing joy was an affront to civilization. Although now that I think about it, perhaps it is in affront to those who don't truly have it. But I have it. I tell people, "Hey, I'd rather laugh than cry." And God knows there's always something to cry about.

As a pastor, and even as a friend, I've learned there are times when people need a shoulder to cry on. I will readily admit that there have been times that I needed a shoulder to cry on. But I have found that truly the best place to go when I'm having a hard time or a bad day is into the presence of the Lord. He cares about my needs, my problems, my issues. He understands heartbreak and rejection. He sympathizes with me in my weaknesses. And I think about the author of those verses in Hebrews where it talks about Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith, who suffered through the crucifixion because He understood the joy that awaited Him after the resurrection, when His work was over and His mission fulfilled. And then the writer says, "You haven't bled to death yet." In other words, whenever you think things are as bad as they can possibly be, that things couldn't possibly get any worse, just remember--Jesus died. If you're not dead yet, it's not as bad as it could possibly be.

And even if they were, so what? Where is my confidence, my trust, my faith? Where is my hope? The Psalmist said, "You are my hope, O Lord God." When God is your source and your supply, your steadfast savior, your constant companion and friend, how bad can things possibly be? Paul wrote in Romans, "If God before you, who can be against you?" In other words, when God is on your side, everybody else might as well be. That's good news!

From time to time, I get down in the dumps. Nobody ever sees me that way because I don't go out in public in that condition. That's when I seclude myself in darkness and suck on my big toe while I cry. The only way people usually ever know that I'm going through something is if I tell them, and I don't usually tell them until it's over and done with and I can laugh about it--because laughter is the best medicine anyway. But I have learned that it is not good to live in darkness and dine on tears. It's not good for my body, not good for my soul, not good for my spirit. It accomplishes nothing. And being mopey just makes me mad. I don't like it in other people, I certainly don't like it in me!

So what if nothing goes my way. God is still in control.

So what if nothing turns out the way I think it should. God is still all powerful, and working all things out for my good and His glory.

So what if nobody likes me. Jesus loved me enough that He died to save me.

So what if everybody abandons me. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and He is everywhere present all the time.

So what if I don't have everything that want in the instant that I think I need it. God still supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God is good, all the time, and like the Psalmist I have learned (and to be honest, sometimes I'm still learning) to place my hope in Him, for if I hope in Him, my hope is continual. My hope is not on circumstances and situations around me; my hope is Christ within me! And while I hope, I will also sing and shout and dance about. I will praise God, for He is worthy of all my praise, for all that He's done, for all that He is, for all that He's going to do! And I will talk about His goodness and His saving grace all the day long. I will keep on praising the God who is good to me, because I have discovered that there is no limit to His love and help, and no end in sight!