A Discipline of Gladness

If you have read more than a few posts on this blog, you are not surprised by my love for Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  His short devotional readings in Morning and Evening have contributed, over the years, to much growth in my spiritual life.  Spurgeon has a clear and relentless method of bringing his reader to recognition of both the enormity of sin and the greatness of God.  And that – in my opinion – is the mark of a good writer. 

Just the other day, I was having a discussion with a friend about the need we have (as women) to discipline our tongues and emotions.  It is far too easy to be bound up by fear and resentment.  In just a matter of weeks after being hurt by someone’s words or actions against us, we can easily find ourselves absolutely crippled by the emotional burden we choose to carry.  One of my personal goals for growing older is that I refuse to become a captor of my emotions and live in bitterness.  Let’s face it – no one likes to be around a bitter woman.  It just isn’t fun.  We all know one (and probably avoid her). 

Now, lest we be too quick to think that “I don’t fall into the bitterness category,” let’s remember that bitterness can take many forms.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be an outward display of anger or emotion.  In fact, I would argue that more often than not it is an inward boil that dehydrates us slowly. 

• You run into that person who has offended you.  Rather than confront the issue as you should (Matthew 18) you turn the other way and choose to think horrible things about her.
• You ignore a repeated call from a friend because she disappointed you.
• You expose a secret in order to gain a position of power over another.
• You speak sarcastically in effort to avoid real issues.
• You belittle the husband or clothes or car or home of another in order to cover up your own insecurities.

This list could go on and on and on.  Suffice it to say that the potential for bitterness to take root in our own hearts is endless.  Bitterness is like ivy that will attatch itself to the walls we choose to build within – and it will not come off unless it is ripped away from the surface to which it clings.

“So . . . what does all this have to do with Spurgeon?”  Glad you asked.  This morning’s reading is from Psalm 126:3:  “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”  What an incredibly sweet truth.  Indeed, the Lord has done great things for us.  And what does the Psalmist say our rightful response is to be?  “We are glad.”  I think this gladness must often be a conscious choice on our part.  We must discipline ourselves to reflect upon what the Lord has done for us so that we are not completely distracted by the pain surrounding our lives. 

Are we going to deal with difficult things and difficult people?  Yes – of course we will.  However, our response to those situations says a lot about not only who we are, but also about the God we serve.  The woman who puts her trust in the Lord will not be embittered.  In fact, as Spurgeon reminded us this morning, “the deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God [should be].”  Amen, Spurgeon.  Amen. 

SOME Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state will come forward joyously, and say, “I will speak, not about myself, but to the honor of my God. He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad.” Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation; but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us “out into a wealthy place.” The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise; we reckon them to be the bass part of our life’s song, “He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”