Pray When You're Cheerful
James 5:13b Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Now there are also cheerful people in the church. Some in the church are suffering, but some are also very cheerful right now. For some of us, today is a good day! There was no projectile vomiting during the night for me, that’s a good thing! Everything that has gone down in the last 24 hours has stayed down, that’s a good thing! I’m cheerful because of that! I’m cheerful because I woke up this morning. I’m cheerful because I get to do what God has called me to do, and it’s my passion, and I love it. I get to bring God’s Word to his church, and that’s amazing, so it’s a good day. And it’s the Christmas season! I ate so much food Thursday, and I was suffering (but happy) and now there’s Christmas music on the radio, and it’s a good day! Sometimes cheerful people come across to the rest of us as completely in-genuine. We think, seriously? Pump the brakes a little buddy, I’m still suffering, I don’t need any cheer. Bah, humbug. It comes across as not being genuine, not authentic, there’s no way you’re that happy.
But there really is because sometimes people just choose happiness, and my dad is one of these, the eternal optimist. It’s kind of ridiculous the stuff he’s been through in the last fifteen years and he’s still like Olaf from Frozen, he’s always got a warm hug, a smile, an encouraging word, and he just chooses to be happy. It should have worn off by now – I’ve known him for 37 years, but he just keeps getting happier! He knows the world is dark and sinful, but you know what else he knows? He knows Jesus is coming back, and he knows Jesus is in control, and he knows Jesus is watching over his life, and he knows the future of the church is amazing because he’s read the end of the book and he knows it’s going to be exciting, so he chooses to be cheerful. That’s awesome! What do we do with that? Sing praises. What do we do when we’re cheerful? Sing praises. When we get that first real day of spring, and the snow is starting to melt, and you crank up the radio and put the windows down, and you sing praises.
We currently have a foster daughter who is four years old. She is always singing. She’s always got a song in her mouth and heart. Every time, without fail, we’re in the car, she wants the radio on so we can listen to music. Why is she singing so much? Because she’s cheerful. Because she’s in a safe place where no one is going to hurt her, and the happiness and cheer is just coming out. Are you cheerful? Sing praises. If you’re cheerful, sing!
But there really is because sometimes people just choose happiness, and my dad is one of these, the eternal optimist. It’s kind of ridiculous the stuff he’s been through in the last fifteen years and he’s still like Olaf from Frozen, he’s always got a warm hug, a smile, an encouraging word, and he just chooses to be happy. It should have worn off by now – I’ve known him for 37 years, but he just keeps getting happier! He knows the world is dark and sinful, but you know what else he knows? He knows Jesus is coming back, and he knows Jesus is in control, and he knows Jesus is watching over his life, and he knows the future of the church is amazing because he’s read the end of the book and he knows it’s going to be exciting, so he chooses to be cheerful. That’s awesome! What do we do with that? Sing praises. What do we do when we’re cheerful? Sing praises. When we get that first real day of spring, and the snow is starting to melt, and you crank up the radio and put the windows down, and you sing praises.
We currently have a foster daughter who is four years old. She is always singing. She’s always got a song in her mouth and heart. Every time, without fail, we’re in the car, she wants the radio on so we can listen to music. Why is she singing so much? Because she’s cheerful. Because she’s in a safe place where no one is going to hurt her, and the happiness and cheer is just coming out. Are you cheerful? Sing praises. If you’re cheerful, sing!