Going Out With JOY!

“You shall go out with joy

And be let forth with peace,

And the mountains and the hills

Will break forth before you.

There'll be shouts of joy

And the trees of the fields

Will clap, will clap their hands.

And the trees of the fields will clap their hands,

And the trees of the fields will clap their hands,

And the trees of the fields will clap their hands,

While you go out with joy.”

   Have you ever had to leave somewhere? Maybe you had to move somewhere, left a job, or maybe you just left on vacation. We have all had to leave someone, some place, or something. When leaving somewhere we all have different emotions. You may feel sad, happy, or even angry. Here’s the thing: you choose how you leave.

   If you know me you know I am all about having a good attitude. However, it is not easy to always have a good attitude. It is especially difficult to have a good attitude when things don’t go the way you planned. The key words in that sentence are “the way you planned.” In America we are really good at making plans. We are not the master of our lives God is. Proverbs 16:9 says “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” God has great plans for us. His plan will come about one way or another. We could choose to follow his plan kicking and screaming, but is that the example we want to send to others? Do we want others to look at us and say “he calls himself a Christian and yet he has a bad attitude?”

   I do not know about you but I would rather have people look at me and wonder how I can leave somewhere joyfully when I have every right to be upset. My prayer is that wherever I go and wherever I leave I go with God. I would rather walk beside him, where he wants me to go, than walk alone. Not only that but I want to go out with joy because that is what we are called to do (Isaiah 55:12).

   So, when you leave somewhere what will your attitude be? Will you choose to follow God no matter what? Will you walk beside God and trust in him?

   Isaiah 55:12, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 3:5-6

   Image from here. 

   Link for Trees of the Field song.