pssst......read this for the secret to joy in your life!!

I started this post with the title: "Why do bad things happen??" and planed to write about the two reasons I think bad things happen even to good people, but as I wrote I got off topic so I'll post about that another day.

I've heard these questions and statements from many throughout life and even said a couple of them myself at one time or other: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "If there is a God he doesn't care about us, if he did he wouldn't let us suffer so much on this earth." "How could a caring, loving God let this happen??" and even the big question of "why????" "Why did this or that happen to me."

I've never really been one to struggle with the question of "why" in life. I've always kind of been of the mind frame "make your bed and lie in it" kind of person. When things get tough, I just grit my teeth and suffer through it.

In many ways this attitude has helped me out in life, I am not a quitter. The tougher something is the more I seem to want to dig my heels in and stand strong.

But you know, He is showing me something very powerful. He wants more from and for me!! He doesn't want me to just "suffer" through life.

I've realized that in trying to make it through life without Christ, I've come up with a lot of self-pity. Self pity as defined by dictionary.com is pity for oneself, especially exaggerated or self-indulgent pity; a feeling of sorrow (often self-indulgent) over your own sufferings. Since becoming new in Christ, self-pity has become disgusting to me, I can't stand that feeling that wants to creep up on me.

There were plenty of times in my old life when something was hard, I'd plod through it, but feel so sorry for myself the whole way. With Christ by my side, nothing is the same. Would you believe He won't let me feel sorry for myself anymore???? Whenever I feel that self-pity creep up, it's like something grabs me and says "HOW DARE YOU FEEL THAT WAY!!!"

Something wonderful starts happening, I start praising Him. I start thanking Him for my arms and legs so I can take of myself and my family, I start thanking Him that my children are healthy, I look around and find even the smallest thing that is good and praise him for it!

I don't have time for self-pity anymore!!!!!!!!!!!! There are so many things to thank and praise Him for that everything else gets crowded out!! His blessings are so great, so wonderful. I could spend the rest of my life just thanking him for creating me!!!

And then let me tell you what He gives me when I do this, pssst.....lean close, it's a secret!!! lol! He give me DEEP joy!!!!! Oh my soul becomes light, I get so giddy and the joy!!!!!!!!!!! Oh His joy is so wonderful!! Whatever I was doing that seemed so hard before, is suddenly light!! The task becomes so easy and even enjoyable!!

How could I have lived 27 years without Him?? Without this joy? I want to run out on the street and grab people up and tell them this wonderful secret!! He is the way to life, to joy, to peace!! Without Him we aren't really living, we are dead!!