If anyone said that life is easy, I would have to question that person’s sanity. Life is anything but easy.

In all his experiences, Job declared, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1, KJV).

By this, Job lets us know that life will be filled with challenges and difficulties.

I know, I know, it does not sound good. I can hear my son asking me, “How is that fair? Why do we have to struggle?” I attempt to answer, but my answer will never be enough to satisfy his feelings.

So, through a momentary pause to consider all the difficulties we may face and how we should deal with them, I have come to one conclusion. I am resolved to rejoice in the Lord. Re-read that! I am resolved to rejoice in the Lord. I did not say that I will rejoice in everything I experience or that I need to be super spiritual through every difficulty and pretend that they do not bother me. I said, “I am resolved to rejoice in the Lord.”

Let’s be real! Life is not easy, and I could go on for paragraphs about the difficulties that I am facing. You might be able to write pages about yours, but if we only see the struggle, we will miss out on something more significant.

Is there something greater? There is, and it is to be discovered when we can be resolved to rejoice in the Lord.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)

It is impossible to rejoice in death, in heartbreak, when bad news is received. However, it is possible to rejoice in the Lord.

Let me explain…

Rejoicing in the Lord is about understanding that God is sovereign no matter the circumstance we face. He is in control! We may not understand it all, but there is something so comforting about knowing that He is in control. He is working all things for a greater purpose than what I may be able to see. So I will not be happy about difficulties, but I will rejoice that He is Lord.

Rejoicing that He is Lord removes any notion that I can control what is happening. I cannot make things easier, so I trust that He is Lord and in complete control. I know that all things working together will be for my benefit because He, my Lord, has called me. Since He has called me to become like His Son (Romans 8:28-29), I know that what I am facing is all about what He is using to make me like Him. So I rejoice in Him.

We have to come to a place where we see Him as Lord. King David declared in desperation that the “…Lord heard him and saved him from all of his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). No matter what you are going through, see Jesus as Lord. He is with you, He sees you, He hears and He will save you from your troubles. Please know that sometimes the difficulties we experience are the very things God is using to save us.

I cannot see clearly all the reasons for the struggles, but I know who is the Lord over all things. I know He loves me, and I can trust Him. So I can rejoice in Him.