That other verse, Psalm 118:24 by the way, has a tendency to be used like a positive thinking mantra to convince ourselves that it's really not a bad, difficult or troublesome day. We use it to try to manipulate ourselves into rejoicing when we don't want to or feel like it or can't, and we use it to subtly condemn ourselves and others when they are weeping and mourning instead of rejoicing. Be positive, even in hard times and difficulty or someone, perhaps even your own mind, will remind you of this verse. This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. When you're really feeling bad and rejoicing feels impossible, this verse can really make you feel worse and question the validity of your faith. Seriously, if you were really a Christian you would see that even this is the day that the Lord has made and you would be rejoicing right now.
That, by the way, is totally bogus nonsense that should be rebuked in the name of Jesus. This is why we should be careful about just accepting things floating around. Someone liked this verse. They turned it into the chorus of a song in the 70s, as far as I know...it could have been done earlier. It sounded good, it was catchy, and we like the idea of having joy, so people sang it and loved it and believed it. Now it's on T-shirts and bumper stickers and memes and stuck in our minds. Out of context. That verse does not mean what you think it does. It was definitely never intended to beat you about the head and heart for not doing a good Pollyanna impression.
It is true that God has made this day and every day, so there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that. On the worst day, and in the midst of the most suffering there is a source and reason to have joy if we have relationship with Jesus. But there is a time for mourning and weeping. It is not faith to pretend that suffering is not suffering, that trouble has not come, or that our heart is not heavy. It's denial and self-deception. We don't want to feel what we're feeling, so we manipulate our own mind and emotions, we twist scripture and quote positive inspirational crap like mantras to filter the negative, hard and bad away from our consciousness and see only the stuff that doesn't make us want to curl into a ball and cry. There is comfort in the Lord. That's why the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter, but the Spirit doesn't comfort with denial, manipulation or false impressions of reality. We practice rigorous honesty, but the Spirit of the Lord IS truth. He's not going to call it differently than it is. He's not about pretending.
We try to change the way we feel so many ways. The root of addiction and bondage is found in trying to enhance, change, and mask the way we feel. It's all about self. And sometimes we do this even in recovery and even with scriptures. If it helps me to feel better, what does it matter if that's not what the verse means? Well, first, it doesn't always make us feel better does it? Sometimes it makes us wonder why we can't rejoice like we should. And it doesn't matter if it's this verse or another, when we use the truth in an untrue way to change the way we feel or to manipulate ourselves and or others, we make it a lie, and turning the word of God into a lie is never within His will. Finally, as if that's not enough, to lie to ourselves to attempt to change the way we feel is always a bad idea that takes us in the direction of any number of worse ideas and returning to trying anything and everything other than the Comforter for relief.
For the record, Psalm 118:24 is about a particular day, the day of the triumphal entry of the Messiah. It's not any old day or every day. It's specific. Now, this is a day He made. I can rejoice that my suffering is temporary, that it is purposeful rather than pointless in that it can bring me into deeper relationship with God and remind me of His comfort and love and bring Him glory as it testifies of His faithfulness, and that God can and will use it to transform me into the likeness of Christ and for good. You can find joy in times of suffering for those reasons to, if you are His.
And maybe it's just me, but I can find joy in not having to pretend, in not having to hide my tears from God, in not having to act like I'm OK when I'm not. I can endure all things, even a bad, hard day, through Christ who strengthens me and the abiding presence of the Comforter and the blessed assurance of Daddy's care and love. So can you.
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