Inspirational

Making the Choice to Rejoice

August 1, 2006 / 3 Comments

Things seemed to be going fairly well this morning when something that looked and sounded like a BAD MOOD reared its ugly head.

It all started when I was walking along carrying my newly finished Memory Recitation Box. My son and I collided and my neat little index box with all the dividers and their memory work papers went flying all over the floor. I said to my son, “Just go do your schoolwork.” My tone of voice told him all he needed to know. He’d better clear out fast! Everyone looked a little stunned. I even heard one of the boys wondering what was wrong with mommy. What is wrong with mommy? Well honey, to be honest, I don’t even know!

I guess if I wanted to look on the bright side of things it would be that my kids must not see me this way all the time or they wouldn’t have looked at me like I had just sprouted horns.

My son, (what providential timing) just today read the section in Charlotte Mason’s book about Gladness (pg. 131-135 Ourselves ).

I asked him what he’d read; he shared and I said, “Get me the book. I need to read that today.”

So, here is what I read and learned. I write this so that maybe, just maybe, it might stick with me. And of course if it helps someone out there in the blogosphere that would be just fine too.

 

Gladness enough in the World for all.

Carlyle, whom we do not think of as a very happy man, used to say that no one need be unhappy who could see a spring day or the face of a little child. Indeed, there is Gladness enough in the world for us all; or, to speak more exactly, there is a fountain of Gladness in everybody’s heart only waiting to be unstopped. Grown-up people sometimes say that they envy little children when they hear the Gladness bubbling out of their hearts in laughter, just as it bubbles out of the birds in song; but there is no room for regret; it is simply a case of a choked spring: remove the rubbish, and Gladness will flow out of the weary heart as freely as out of the child’s.

Gladness is Catching.

Gladness is Perennial.

…we shall be interested to discover why it is that people go about with a black dog on their shoulder, the cloud of gloom on their brow; why there are people heavy in movement, pale of countenance, dull and irresponsive. You will wish to find out why it is that children may go to a delightful party, picnic, haymaking, or what not, and carry a sullen countenance through all the fun and frolic; why young people may be taken to visit here or travel there, and the most delightful scenes might be marked with a heavy black spot in the map of their memories, because they found no gladness in them; why middle-aged people sometimes go about with sad and unsmiling countenances; why the aged sometimes find their lot all crosses and no joys.

This question of gladness or sadness has little to do with our circumstances. It is true that we should do well to heed the advice of Marcus Aurelius.––"Do not let your head run upon that which is none of your own, but pick out some of the best of your circumstances, and consider how eagerly you would wish for them were they not in your possession."

We are Sad when we are Sorry for Ourselves.

Gladness a Duty.

 So now I ask myself, “Can I do this? Phillipians 4:13 says I can. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” I cannot use my weaknesses for an excuse.

Am I willing to lay down my selfish, self-pitying attitudes? That’s the real crux of the matter.

What you need today is to submit all your rights, to let God lay you down and shave all your rights off of you. Amen. Could you imagine how a little old lamb, fleece hanging over him? That’s his rights, yeah. Take all of his rights away from him and shear it all off, how cool and light he runs. My, my, he’s happy, and jumps around, and has a big time. Yes, sir. If you’ll forfeit your rights, that’s what you get. But you got to forfeit your rights and let the Word of God shave all the world off of you, take all the habits of the world away, and you become a new creature in Christ.

 -William Branham 

––Help comes to those who endeavour and who ask. We may have to pull ourselves up many times a day, but every time we give chase to the black dog, the easier we shall find it to be gay and good. The outward and visible sign of gladness is cheerfulness, for how can a dour face and sour speech keep company with bubbling gladness within? The inward and spiritual grace is contentment, for how can the person who is glad at heart put himself out and be dissatisfied about the little outside things of life?

––Let us get the good out of our circumstances by all means, but as a matter of fact it is not our circumstances but ourselves that choke the spring. We are sad and not glad because we are sorry for ourselves. Somebody has trodden on our toe, somebody has said the wrong word, has somehow offended our sense of self-importance, and behold! the Dæmon of self-pity digs diligently at his rubbish-heap, and casts in all manner of poor and paltry things to check the flow of our spring of Gladness. Some people are sorry for themselves by moments, some for days together, and some carry all their life long a grudge against their circumstances, or burn with resentment against their friends. ––Now, if we have made it clear to ourselves that there is in each of us a fountain of Gladness, not an intermittent but a perennial spring, enough and to spare for every moment…––Before we consider the Dæmons of Gladness, let us make ourselves sure of one thing. We cannot be glad by ourselves, and we cannot be sad, that is, heavy, by ourselves. Our gladness rejoices the people we come across, as our heaviness depresses them.
––

3 Comments

  • WalkInFaith

    August 2, 2006 at 2:20 am Reply

    Wow! I’m just about speechless… what good stuff! Thank you for sharing that. I’m marking it so I can come back and re-read it. Wow!

    I like that you were aware enough to pick up on the fact that their responses indicated they don’t always see you respond the way you did! That does say good things! 🙂 Keep that as a mental note of motivation, it’s a good one.

    Thanks again for the effort of sharing this message!

    Blessings!

  • lindafay

    August 3, 2006 at 6:27 am Reply

    Lovely!

    My daughter will begin reading this book next month. I am looking forward to our discussions.

    Homeliving helper has an excellent post about Moods, as well.

    have a great day,

    linda

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