Act of Faith.

In church this morning, the elder prayed and these words caught my attention. Struck me so that I stopped mid-prayer to take out my pen and write them down. He said:

"..sometimes it is an act of faith to rejoice..."

This captured me. I have been bruising myself trying to make the choice to rejoice. To follow Paul's command to "Rejoice in all things" (Philippians 4). But these words said something different. They said it is an act of faith to rejoice.

I look at these two so different. So stark and contrasting. As my processing of this season of life through a Biblical lens continues, I wonder what this means. What are the ties with sackcloth and ashes, with rejoicing in all circumstances? When is it okay to simply feel sad, when is it necessary to bridle the horse and move on? How does one feel and recognize the grieving process, the many momentous transitions, and work through them properly to bring freedom, release, and healing... and yet push forward through daily life and responsibilities and gather optimism through them?

In all these things, I pause and wonder...