Day 31 You Turn my Mourning into Dancing

Day 31 of my Spiritual Journey through LENT
Readings Psalm 30, 60, 90, 120, 150
The last day of Psalms gives me a smile in my face for I know that they have led me to Him, every day they lifted up my soul.
Psalm 30 reminds me of a trial that I went through in college, it was the worst trial to date. It was Tim Hansel’s book, “Mourning into Dancing” which seem to have been reprinted with this title, “You Gotta Keep Dancing”, one of the best books on grief and pain that I have ever read. It gave me so much wisdom as a young man, along with my daily readings of Psalms and proverbs.
30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
I rest in the fact that no trial can keep you down forever, God has the last word. There are so many benefits to pain and most of us just want to get relief during it, we want to escape the pain. But pain has its purpose, its work and its fruit. One of the things about pain is that it can become a friend, a reminder and a leader to grace.
But why so long, I’m ready to move on . . . Tim Hansel’s quote is “Crucifixion is a slow death”.
But that was Friday, Sunday is coming. Sunday is a day of resurrection, a day of new life. Easter is only two weeks away. Hold on, Sunday is coming.
It was the Spring of 1989 when I suffered this trial, a broken engagement three months before the wedding. I was devastated! And I had gone through a lot of pain leading up to Easter but that morning, everything changed. Until then I was holding on to the Lord for dear life, emotionally broken but HE turned my mourning into dancing. He can do the same for you. Hold on for now, you will see a new thing He is doing!

Ironic. Look at Psalm 60, its introduction is this,
For the director of music. To the tune of "The Lily of the Covenant." A miktam of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
David instructs the director of music to sing this to the tune of “Lily of the Covenant” after striking down 12,000 Edomites. Somehow I don’t think David saw the irony. I wish I knew the tune.

Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, it is the oldest of psalms dating back to about 4,000 BC. (That is right, this song is a true “Oldie”).
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor [b] of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Moses is probably an old man by this point, he sounds like Solomon in Ecclesiastes. He brings us back to the thought that life is short and painful, enjoy your days by obeying God and enjoying each day. Learn to count your days because they are fleeting.

Lord, I am trying to take it all in, but I need your perspective. I need you to help me major on the majors. May I not forget to “smell the roses” today!
Thank you for my life, my wife and my kids. You have truly poured blessings on me!