Thinking about:

— “For I am convinced…” (Romans 8.38)
— “…we overwhelmingly conquer.” (Romans 8.37)
— “Happy is the people…” (Psalm 144.5)

— About joy. About living out Good News. And how it boils down to this conviction — this being convinced — of God’s love. How that sense of being convinced needs to be my first response to life’s situations.

There are so many ups and downs — that’s just the way life is. But living Good News means that somehow my “downs” are framed by this joy, happiness, conquering, and conviction.

And I think that first response needs to be learned every day, a discipline of the soul. It won’t just appear on the day when my world gets turned upside down. My feet need to already be familiar with this Rock. I need to be well-practiced at choosing joy, being persuaded, living happy.

— Thinking that there’s a lot to all this. It’s a lot of work. And my soul isn’t always very responsive to disciplines. (Well, it is responsive. Digging in your heels and increasing your scowl is a response, I guess.)

— About how I’d rather be convinced of God’s love for me than sulk in my corner about how tired I am. Doesn’t that just sound much more fun? (God’s ideas are always the best ones, I tell ya.)