Choosing Joy

I've thought about this for a while, and I really have lots of reasons to be bitter. Is that awful for me to say? I really do though, but by God's strength and power and only that, I choose joy. I choose joy because being bitter hurts. It hurts me and it hurts others. It's messy and it damages hearts and relationships. I've walked that road and if  I could go back and change it I would do it in a heartbeat. But we don't get second chances once we've hurt someone. Friendships that have been broken and hurt can be put back together, but they'll never be the same.

I could walk around being a victim of suicide. I could blame my dad's critics and the church. I could say that he tried and he tried but the people wouldn't serve and they wouldn't change. I could be bitter at the church for not supporting their pastors and for not serving the lost. But I have to choose joy. Being bitter towards the church will certainly not help me. The church as a whole is the bride of Christ! He loves His bride and I need to as well. We are one and I belong to the body of believers. Mark 3:25 say that a house will fall if it is divided against itself. Being bitter would cause even more problems in the church. We're imperfect people, and until Jesus comes to take His bride away, the church will be imperfect too.

My point is, sometimes we have to CHOOSE joy. We have to literally decide that we aren't going to walk around being hurt, angry and resentful and decide to live with joy. Bitterness is pointless and it keeps people from wanting to be around you. So today I challenge you  to not let the hurt from yesterday keep you from living this day to the fullest. You only get to live this day once, so don't let bitterness steal the goodness.