I cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and He heard me.

Ps. 34:5-6 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow will darken their faces. I cried out to the LORD in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears.

Let's face it; we don't always look to the Lord for help when we need it. We tend to try other things first. When they fail us, then we turn to the Lord. We can spare ourselves a lot of frustrations, stresses, and problems by turning first to the Lord in our times of need.

Don't you just love to be around people who radiate with joy? Some people are so miserable within that they can't stand to be around those who aren't, but most people find being around joyful people picks them up, inspires and encourages them. People with real joy just shine. It shows in their faces and there is just something about the way they handle themselves that attracts us.

True joy comes from living in Christ in the present. Life is a celebration because Christ is in it. It is knowing that the Lord is always with us and will never let us down. It is knowing that when we cry out to the Lord He hears us. It is being set free from all our fears. It is being able to rest peacefully in the Lord's presence knowing that all things are under His control and that they are well.

We can have great joy in our souls, no matter how much we may have to suffer. We can rejoice knowing that we are not forsaken or forgotten. The Lord is with us and He will help us. When we call upon Him, it's not a waste of our time. He hears our cries and sets us free from all our fears. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!