Rejoice always?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) I remember reading this scripture thinking; ”Seriously? As I’m doubled over in pain, the only think I am overflowing with is water retention, not joy! My ankles have now made my size 11 feet the equivalent to something Michael Jordan wears on the court and God wants me to be joyful over it?” But the more I focused on this scripture and prayed, the more I realized that God isn’t asking me to be thankful and jump for joy over bloating and mind-boggling cramps. I’m allowed to be unhappy over the fact that my ovaries feel like they’re being hung on a bulls-eye for target practice at a shooting range. Happiness is vastly different than joy. Happiness is frankly about what’s ‘happening’ at the moment, whereas joy is about what’s inside your heart and soul. Even during difficult PMS or menopausal hot-flashes, what’s deep inside of me is the love of God and His strength. Monthly hormones or lack thereof doesn’t take that joy away. And, naturally, the more I’ve prayed and meditated on this scripture the more I realized that when I’ve read it in the past I’ve usually glossed right over the “pray continually” and “give thanks” portions. Praying and giving thanks are natural ways to increase your endorphins, which in turn helps you deal with physical pain more easily. The answer was staring me in the face all the time. It just took looking beyond my ovaries for the meaning to sink in! I encourage you to pray regularly, consistently and fervently (with all your heart, mind, soul and body invested) and give thanks for His presence no matter what you’re going through on this day. I’ve never heard of one person who later said they regretted doing so. For information on how to schedule Karen to speak at your upcoming event, go to: www.womaninspired.com Today's blog is an excerpt from Karen's book "PMS ~ Praising My Savior, A 28 Day Devotional For Women" Join WomanInspired on FaceBook.