Caely Judy: Caely Judy is passionate about teaching the next generation about Christ. With a degree in psychology and a minor in art, she has worked with children for several years. She is an artist who uses her work to spread joy and hope.
“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
Growing up, I remember my mom used to wake us up by singing the hymn “This is the Day that the Lord Has Made.” While I may not have been a fan of early mornings, singing this hymn was a helpful way to remember Psalm 118:24 through the years.
Maybe you’re going through a difficult season of life. This can make mornings all the more stressful. During a stressful time of my life, it became difficult to find the good in early mornings. I began to play the chapter of Psalm 118 out loud to listen to while I prepared for the day. Something that I found interesting in the Psalm is that it begins with praise for who God is, then later discusses praising Him in difficult seasons.
Verse one begins: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 118:1).”
The psalm, which is believed to be written by King David, goes on to say: “I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me (Psalm 118:5-6)?”
Here are a few things that have helped me draw closer to God in seasons of difficulty:
1. Share your burdens with the Lord.
The psalm shows us that we can safely come to God with our struggles. I sometimes feel that my cares may not be grand enough to warrant a request from God, yet He welcomes our pleas. Big and small, we can trust that our Father cares about our struggles. Relationships flourish with communication, and sharing our concerns is a part of that.
Later in the Psalm it says: “You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation (Psalm 118:13-14).” We may feel surrounded by our circumstances, yet God can be our support in these times.
2. When we allow Christ to carry our burden, He carries the weight we cannot carry alone.
Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “Give it to God.” This is, of course, easier said than done. Giving our worries to the Lord makes us feel out of control. Only when we’ve truly placed our fears in God’s hands can we feel the peace of knowing that He is going to give us what we need.
“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
3. Praise Him even when you don’t feel like it.
After the psalmist expresses how the world is against him, he follows up with an exclamation that he knows the Lord is on his side. Something that will change your perspective is realizing that we are blessed to get to wake up every day. Similar to other situations, you may hate your job, but you get the opportunity to earn money. Your children may be going through a hard stage, but you get to invest in their lives. Shifting our perspective from “having to” to “getting to” will help change our perspective.
