BE JOYFUL

 

Hurt people, hurt people. 

Depressed people, depress people. 

Bored people, bore people. 

"Be joyful always; pray continually; 

give thanks in all circumstances, 

for this is GOD'S WILL for you." 

Let's infect others with a 

joyful, prayerful, grateful heart!!

 

I had the above thoughts on my facebook status.

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Here are thoughts our son, Ken, added:

People who are hurt and depressed are afflicted. Our afflictions are from God and we are not always joyful and thankful. Fortunately, the Hebrew Bible provides a voice for those times, voices of lamentation, grieving, anger, and consolation.... How has one verse done so much to obliterate this testimony, creating communities that demand false joy, happy faces, and who ignore the biblical ministry of lament, grief, anger, and consolation? I see no perpetually happy prophets and often hear the voices of conflicted, oppressed, and angry psalmists! Is there a place for the hurt and the depressed and the bored to come and praise God? I am indeed thankful that God wills that I should be joyful; I am also relieved that God doesn't require it of me. Maybe people should take less offense to hurt and depressed people, and commiserate instead of judge or help (with a joyful heart!) instead of criticize. 

 (BTW, just my general thoughts... obviously, Mom, I'm not addressing this to you.)