"Joy In Being Kept"

"Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." (Psalms 86:4)
Grace has a very personal appointment, which is why no one who is His child can ever really be disgraced. Oh, we might feel discouraged or disappointment in ourselves; but it's knowing that we are loved and kept by a God who loves us more than we even love ourselves, that's what keeps us going forward, getting out of bed, and counting it all joy; if nothing else, for the sake of being loved. We really need to start getting the right perspective when it comes to life, living, and being alive. This material world is only for a very short period of time; it's just a flicker compared to the eternity that awaits. Yet, how much focus we give to our daily lives compared to the eternity that awaits, it's almost an opposite comparison; our thoughts towards eternity are only little flickers through each of are daily lives. Obviously we must keep doing whatever it takes to feed our families, pay our bills, and be productive citizens in our communities; but these are only temporary things in themselves, and nothing tangible is being taken with us when we leave this world, so that's where we leave it. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have let pressures of this material life affect my eternal perspective; and we are only speaking about stuff over the last thirty days! To be perfectly honest, it's a lot like what James says about a man looking in a mirror, seeing who he is, going his way, and instantly forgetting what manner of man that he is; I consider how important eternal life is compared to this life, and turn to continue on living this life, instantly forgetting what I had just considered. A little pressure from paying the bills, a little bad news about not receiving payment I expected; anything that's contrary to what I had hoped, instantly puts me at odds and takes away my joy; if nothing else, but for a moment. But let me tell you something, even a single moment of displaying discouragement can be enough to steal from your testimony of being kept in God's grace. It is so important to keep our right perspective, to keep our focus on the things that remain, and not be distracted by the temporary concerns of this material world. No matter how important those concerns may appear, they quickly fade in the light of eternity...
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD'S favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory." (Isaiah 61:1-3) NLT