Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God.  Do not mourn or weep.”  For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.  Anathema said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

– Nehemiah 8:9-10

Are there days in your life when you feel like you do not have the strength to carry on?  You feel absolutely helpless and all you really want to do is just curl up in a ball somewhere and mourn or weep over your life and your circumstances.  Well just know today that the Lord sees you and your life even when you think that he doesn’t.  The Lord your God has not left you and even though you feel weak, in your weakness he is stronger!   And the Lord’s strength will pull you through any and every situation in life that you will ever face… you just have to fully rely on his strength and not your own!  During the times in your life where you think the Lord is not there hearing or listening to you, that is when he is even more attentive to you!  When you feel all alone, that is when the Lord is even more present with you!  Instead of grieving over all the things that are going wrong in your life, the Lord wants to bring you to a place where you find your joy in him!  The only way to find your joy in the Lord is to have your focus on him instead of your circumstances.  When you are finally able to see past your own circumstances to realize just how the Lord has truly blessed you with so much, your heart will overflow with thankfulness unto the Lord for all he has done for you!  You will then desire to pour out blessings on others around you because of how richly you have been blessed by the Lord!  Joy will flood your heart as you give with the radical love of the Lord, discovering more and more that true joy can only be found in Jesus!  Instead of mourning, the joy of the Lord will become your strength!