September 7

yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! — Hab 3:18 BSB

The secret of joy is not to wait until you feel happy but to rise up by faith, out of the depression that drags you down, and choose to praise God. This is what Paul means when he writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always," and "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." These passages show a battle with sadness but also the triumph of faith and praise.

This is the "sacrifice of praise"—a sacrifice costs us something. When someone is holding onto a grudge, nursing it, and wallowing in self-pity, it takes a significant sacrifice to let it go, reject those bitter thoughts, and rise up in faith, saying, "I will rejoice in the Lord; I will count it all joy."