Make a Joyful Noise

"... It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this..." 2 Samuel 6:21-22a (NIV)

I read this in my Proverbs 31 daily devotional today and it really stopped me in my tracks.  I continued to read and she mentioned how Micah thought that King David was uncouth, so undignified in his dancing.  She was looking at him with disgust and so passed judgment, and then went onto tell him so!  Now, if I had been in David's place with how my life has been going for the last few days, it would have crushed me.  I would have let someone else's opinion of me get me down and destroy the joy that had been expressed in the unplanned and un-orchestrated dancing.  And why - because I would have been listening not only to the voice that criticized, but to that little voice inside that loves to makes us doubt and wonder.  AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG, JUST AS I HAVE BEEN ALL THIS WEEK!!!

So, when given this invitation, why not rejoice in whatever way feels right?

Matthew 11:28:  "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

It has been such a hard week, that Nickelback has been on my playlist, and this song really stands out for these lyrics:

Nickelback - If Everyone Cared  

If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
We'd see the day when nobody died
And I'm singing

Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, I'm alive

I AM ALIVE!!!  And I can only wish that everyone lived as the lyrics state!  But they don't and so I listened to 2 voices this week and let them completely ruin not only my week, but several of those that I care for and who care for me.  I cannot control that other person's mouth, or how they might ever realize, if they ever do, the impact of those words and the perceptions that resulted from them.  I wish I could make them see, but I also wish that I could make all the alcoholics realize what they are doing to themselves.  Is that ever gonna happen?  Not likely.

So, what do I do? 

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Colossians 3:8

Man, this is hard.  I have been so hurt and disillusioned this week, and this is the dictate that I must turn to and follow.  I could hold onto that anger and hurt, but what would that do?

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8

Not good. So, I need to work on letting that go.  Step back and look at what happened.

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverbs 29:11

In listening to the false words of both voices, not only did the venting fool show himself, but I turned into one!

You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place? Job 18:4

I didn't necessarily want the rocks moved, just his hard head to the truth.  Well, again, I cannot control that, and he has a really hard head!  So, time to move on.  And how do I do that?  Music!

Casting Crowns – Praise you in the storm 

Chris Rice – Small the Color 9

I should have been praising rather than crying and ranting and raving.  It is so easy to forget that!

I need to remember the bible story about the silversmith and smelting the cilver to get to purity.  Maybe the heat of that other person's anger was helping to rid me of some of the crap that needs to be gone so that I am better aligned to God.

And this last song - can you smell either a color or a number?  NO!  I was basically trying to do something similar and with the same results.  None.

I have hurt so much this week, and all I had to do was change my mind.  That's all it takes.  Mom kept telling me to FROG – fully rely on God.  But I didn't and l rode my anger right into fatigue, hurt and so much more.  There is still hurt, but I am not going to let it control me.  I vented at the person who hurt me.  Not in the correct way, at all, but they are aware of some of the impact of their thoughtless words even if they choose to do nothing.  I have no control over that.  But – I can control my reaction going forward and try to do like David, and not give 2 flying figs who may be watching!

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5

 Third Day – Consuming Fire