This is the Day that the Lord Has Made; Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad in It. Psalms 118:24

This is the Day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. What does Psalms 118:24 mean to you? This is a popular verse from the Bible that didn't really resonate with me that much when I started to read the Bible. Yet Psalms 118:24 has become a major part of my life.

Mom used to say this verse when she was having a bump in the road. She would end the conversation with " But this is the Day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." And I knew that no matter what was going on in her life, at that very moment she was praising God for His new day.

As the years have gone by and I have grown in my journey with coming to God, I have encountered many days that started off surprisingly depressing. I have fibromyalgia and part of that is coping with anxiety. Anxiety is an ugly monster if you let it get a hold on you. It can make you sad, jumpy, afraid of things that you cannot even put a name to. Anxiety can make your head light and your heart pound.

I was on a streak of days that the anxiety had me almost paralyzed. For those who don't suffer with anxiety, I cannot explain it to you. For those who do suffer with it, I need say no more. In the throws of this, Mom's words came to me. I could hear her saying " This is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It gave me pause to stop and think.

I was letting my anxiety and fibromyalgia get in the way of acknowledging and enjoying the day I was given. The Lord did not grant me another day on earth to worry and stew about what was going to happen next. He gave it to me to enjoy and share and be productive in what ever way I could. I thanked God for His day. And I have been doing it every day since. Why?

Because each day is a gift from God. My ailments aren't all that severe. Many many people suffer more than I. But I needed to look at God's gift. It doesn't matter if its gray or raining out. The sun doesn't have to be shining outside to feel the warmth of God's love in my heart. That God would make a day and would allow me to participate in it is a wonderful thing. I believe that we are all here for a reason. God has a reason for me. Something about this line of thinking helped me then and continues to today.

My anxiety is still with me, but I don't have to be filled with fear. I know God is with me. I know God is hanging on to me and He will get me through what ever I have to face. He knows my anxiety and He can quench it.

Too simple? No. God did not make things hard to understand. He said he would never forsake us. I believe that. The next time your day is not going well, or you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, remember that 'This is the Day that God has made; rejoice and be glad in it.' Psalms 118:24