Rejoice in the Lord always!!!

I was reading in Deuteronomy today and came across this verse: Deut. 12:18 the latter half that reads: Rejoice in the Lord in everything you put your hand to. I've read this verse before, and many like it. I've heard songs and sermons about this very topic, but today this seemed to stand out to me. I mean it's easy to rejoice when the sky is blue, birds are singing, worship is good, fellowship is sweet, when what I do seems to make a difference. But what about when I stub my toe, or get a flat tire, what about when I'm doing dishes or cleaning up after a sick kid, being berated for something I didn't even do wrong or perhaps just being stuck in a job that I don't feel like I can stand for one more minute. That is harder to rejoice in... yet the bible says to rejoice in everything you put your hand to. Why perhaps this stood out so much to me was because I was struggling with this very issue for the majority of last week. From the sick child, to the struggles with my job. I thought to myself, how should I have rejoiced through ALL of that!

As I was contemplating this I realized that I was focusing on the what and the when, but was completely skipping the why. When I reread the verse this way : Rejoice in the Lord in everything you put your hand to. Things became much clearer. You see regardless of the circumstances in the tiny little pocket of my life around me, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! And that my friends is our reason to rejoice. So perhaps the next time joy is not even on my mind let alone in my vocabulary, I will be able to say with the Psalmist (Psalm 70:4) But may all who seek You, rejoice and be glad in You!