Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that we are free to act for ourselves--to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. We can choose to reconcile ourselves to the will of God or the will of the devil.  But it is only by the grace of God that we can be saved.  We can be raised from the dead through the power of the resurrection and we can also receive eternal life through the atonement of Christ.  2 Nephi 10:23-25 "

In the Old Testament we read about how Sampson killed a roaring lion with his bare hands after the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon us.  We might not have roaring lions attacking us, but we are sure to have powerful problems and trials beset us at times in our lives.  However, with the Lord's help we can deal with any difficulty that comes out way.  Judges 14:5-6 "Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.  And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done."

I think the Lord might be trying to tell me something because scriptures from two different thought booklets gave me the same message--to rejoice and be glad. One verse in particular tells us to rejoice in the Lord always.  Noe the word always.  It's easy to rejoice in the Lord when things are going well  But not so easy when we're going through trials and tribulations.  However, we don't need to wait for "better days" before we can be happy.  God wants us to be joyful today.  Right now.  In our present circumstances. Even during our most trying times, there is light if we look for it.  There are things to be grateful for.  If we wait until everything is going our way before we're happy, we might be in for a long, long wait.  But we can choose today to be joyful.  Birds start singing when it is still dark because they anticipate the coming dawn they know will come.  We, too, can look forward to brighter days ahead but we don't have to wait until they get here to sing our joyful song.  Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."  Psalms 100:1-2 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

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