ABOUT THEM THAT REJOICE

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Romans 12:15 NIV

I had always found it so so easy to be there for those that mourned.
Those that had lost a loved one, them that were going through a Storm, them that had lost jobs and could not afford their bills, them that were generally having a hard time.
It was easy mainly because they needed someone there and it was a necessity for them, and me placing myself there as an answered prayer was what they needed.
I easily and gladly mourned with them, in fulfilment of the second part of Today’s Verse, but I hardly considered what the first part of the Verse was all about.

Rejoicing with them that rejoiced wasn’t an important deal for me, because, “I mean, they are rejoicing wherever they are; for what, where and why would they need me to come in? And more so, they must have enough people celebrating with them. I mean, they must be fine and my work here is done! I mourned with them when they really needed me to and now they are happy. I am genuinely yaaay-ed for them! So see them later when they need me again, for now, they must be fine!”
I always had this notion that I needed to leave when the party lights came on, because I felt like I was never needed, deserving or invited to the party (story for another day), until one day I won and I was treated in the same measure. I fully understood how lonely it can get when you have no one to rejoice with you. When all the people that mourned with you and understood how miserable you were are no longer there to understand why you are celebrating so hard. When the calls and messages to check up on you no longer come in as much as they did when you were mourning.

I have learnt to be there for people in their joy as much as I was there in their mourning.
I have learnt to consciously, deliberately and genuinely be happy for people when they win.
I have learnt to celebrate their joy and not wonder where mine is in case I am in the mourning Season. That even when I am in my waiting room, sometimes in the gloom, and they come out rejoicing over their good news, I will give a break to my situation to get ready that party for them!
Sometimes it can be so hard and you may get tempted to ask GOD, “And me?”
Instead, I have learnt to tap into their positivity as they rejoice and it strengthens my Faith that if GOD blessed them, then I am in the right proximity for my blessings as well. But as we wait my turn, now is their turn to be rejoiced over. And so I will throw them that party, turn on those party lights for them, be in their party and genuinely be as joyful as they are and sometimes a tad bit more!

True Friendship is about being there for each other in every situation.
My Prayer over you reading this is that GOD will bring your way genuine people who will not rejoice over your mourning or mourn over your rejoicing.
May HE bring you people that will care for you in the mourning and understand how deep in it you were so that they will understand your Praise in rejoicing and Praise loud with you. That they will never make you feel guilty, or get jealous when you rejoice.
Rejoice and rejoice some more and when you are done rejoicing, rejoice again!

If you are in the place of mourning, allow them that can rejoice rejoice. Allow their rejoicing to give you hope rather than get jealous and assume that they don’t care about what you are going through. This Season will pass and you will need someone to rejoice with you. Don’t push them away that are rejoicing. It’s possible to ride on their joy for the strength to celebrate them and to carry you through the dark patch.

If your people are not rejoicing yet and you already are, may GOD help you sit with them, listen to them and help pull them up from their deep shadows of mourning. In your rejoicing, don’t forget that they need you, be there. May you never rub your rejoicing on their faces or make them feel like they are less deserving or something has delayed their rejoicing. That you will also understand when they are not able to rejoice with you with as much excitement as you hope them to, maybe because they are so deep and weak in the Storm and perhaps they have not grasped and figured out how they can indeed be okay and strong in the thick of the Storm. Don’t give up on them even when they go on in this Season for longer than you had anticipated. Be their constant strength and encourage them that they too will cross over just like you did. Your answered prayers could be their place of hope.
And when the tables turn, may they show you the same Grace and may you allow them to have their turn at rejoicing.

GOD help us to understand each other well in our various Seasons. May we enjoy together, celebrate with and encourage each other along the way. May GOD bring us those that will understand that a loss for one of us is a loss for all of us and a win for one of us is a win for us all.
May we realise that it’s possible to always rejoice together even when the Storms are raging. May we find ways and the strength to.
Oh how sweet it is to have such friendships.
And in the event that GOD doesn’t grant us such friendships immediately, may we always remember that HE WHO ordained Today’s Verse never goes back on HIS Word. HE is dependable even when the World lies to us that we are undeserving.

PRAYER:

LORD,
YOU have promised to be close to the broken-hearted, and YOU rejoice over us with gladness.
Thank YOU that I can depend on YOU fully, to walk with me in every Season of my life.
Help me to depend on YOU more with every passing second; to understand that it is only with YOUR HOLY SPIRIT that I will experience the true gift of Friendship.
May I genuinely stand with someone in their places of need and be there when their prayers are answered, celebrating them with intentionality and honesty and not for selfish association. Help me be a true reliable friend to someone, and at a time that YOU will find it good for me, grant the same to me.
Bring me people that we shall grow with in YOU, fulfilling YOUR Divine Word and walking through the Seasons hand in hand. May they know that I will be there for them regardless, and may I have the same assurance from them. Let me desire good, not only for myself, but for them too.
In JESUS’ Name,
Amen.

More of GOD’s Grace, Love and Light,
Lydia Ndwiga.