Have I Learned the Lesson?

This morning I was reading a devotional about not just accepting God's will, but rejoicing in it. Of course, it is so much easier to rejoice when it 'feels' good or His will is exactly what we wanted, right? It is easier, that is, if we remember to praise Him and rejoice in Him when things are going as 'we' planned.

How much more difficult it is when His will is darkness or hard times. It seems we do well to at the very least not to complain. Sometimes that is all we can muster, right? 'At least I am not complaining, I am standing still under this intense darkness', we think.

This devotional asked the question,

"Have you learned this lesson yet? Not simply to endure or to choose God's will, but to rejoice in it "with inexpressible and glorious joy"?

And a line from a poem,

But soon my heart spoke up from beneath our burden and said, 'We can do more than this, O Soul', it whispered. 'We can be more than still, we can be glad!'

From my journal,

Oh, my patient and merciful Father, I dare say I have not learned this lesson yet. I often hear the faint cries of my hart to rise up and praise, but I fear the most I often muster is to be still, to simply endure. Oh, how I long to sing and praise You even in my darkest hour. By Your grace, 'I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God!'

Aren't you so glad He is patient with us? That He is so merciful and kind?

Thank God in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)