As I was waiting in line, listening to bits and pieces of conversations, not eavesdropping just hearing the words of people as they passed by me, I saw very few smiles. It was as if everyone had been commanded to be sad. The very few times I did see someone smile, they were buying alcohol for their new years eve celebration, I assume. I find that disturbing. Why should they be the only ones allowed to smile?
Well, the answer is they're not! We, His Children, the creation of our Creator, should have more reason to smile than any of them! I'm not saying we're required to be happy and smiling ALL the time, but come on, let's get real, we have more reason to smile than anyone else on earth! And yet, here was this whole store full of people wearing sadness as though it were their favorite garment to wear.
My solution? Well, it wasn't really my solution, it was Yahuah's, SMILE!!! So that's what I did, as I left the store I made it a point to smile at people on purpose and tell them HAPPY NEW YEAR if they gave me any opportunity at all. Yes, I got a few strange looks, but I left the store encouraged because I got more smiles in return than I got the strange looks.
This is not the first time this has happened to me, and I doubt it will be the last. But this time was different. I've been feeling a bit *down* myself, due to some allergy/cold symptoms and some personal stress. I was just kind of in limbo land, not happy, not sad, when Yahuah showed me the sadness that was settling on the other shoppers was the same thing trying to settle itself on me. There was no sudden revelation, just a gentle nudge, just a knowing, I needed to smile & spread the smiles as much as I could. And so I did.
In these days where there is so much bad news, sometimes even pure wickedness, hatred, revenge, etc trying to take over our hearts and souls, our minds, our families, our country, we have to fight back. I don't know that we can change the tide of wickedness, but we can change our response! I'm not saying we should stick our heads in the sand and deny what is happening around us. What I am saying is that we need to hold our heads up high and smile our way through it. Smile, rest and trust in God. Evil will happen, for a little while longer anyway. BUT IN THE END THE VICTORY IS HIS AND OURS!!!! that alone should give us reason to smile. We will have those days when smiling is the last thing we want to do. I don't deny that. But we must smile, we must allow "the Joy of the Lord" to strengthen us, to permeate our beings!
Yahuah, I pray You will strengthen us throughout this new year, throughout each new day. Strengthen us and fill us with Your Joy and Peace that we would be able to share Your presence, Your Joy and Peace, with each other and with the world. That through our smiles, Your Joy, You would call others unto Yourself! And Yahuah, in those moments when I find myself not wanting, maybe even thinking I'm unable to smile, remind me of the words You spoke to me this night. Remind me my smile is not just for me, but it's for Your purposes, for others. and never let me forget what Your Word says in Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I am planning for you,' declares Yahuah, 'plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and expectancy. Then you shall call on Me, and shall come and pray to Me, and I shall listen to you. And you shall seek Me, and shall find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." I thank You Yahuah for wrapping your Love and Peace and Joy around me so much so that I just feel so much of Your Love right now!
I could probably continue writing until midnight, but I don't want to bore anyone, so let me end this evening with this:
Numbers 6:24-26 "Yahuah bless you and guard you; Yahuah make His face shine upon you, and show favour to you; Yahuah lift up His face upon you and give you peace"
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