Shout for Joy! By Jessica Van Roekel

Jessica was just about ready to give up. Mothering three littles under the age of five after a difficult labor and delivery left her struggling with postpartum depression. The darkness lay over her heart like a weighted blanket.

As a worship leader, she knew the power of praise and its impact in a life. Praise gives voice to the angst in the heart while remembering God’s goodness. It gives the one who plods faithfully onward an opportunity to bless the Lord for His faithfulness, even in the dark.

The English word for “praise” in the Old Testament comes from several different Hebrew words, each with a different expression and meaning. There’s a place for quiet praise, and there’s a place for shouting in triumph. There’s a place for kneeling in adoration and a place for thanking God for what He will do. Shabach, one of the Hebrew words for praise, says to shout.

God strengthened Jessica while she struggled onward in caring for her littles, home, and church, and eventually God lifted the darkness to let His light shine bright. He met her as she praised Him in the darkness with a heart that longed for the reality of His promises. When He brought her to a place of victory over the darkness, she shouted for joy.

She was more than a conqueror because of Jesus and His power to bring light to darkness. Jessica knew that God could meet her in every need—from the quiet praise that flowed from her sadness and, finally, to the praise that followed victory in Him. That’s a promise!

Choose Joy Today: Shout for joy today because of victory in Christ. Yes, shout out loud, “Thank you, God!” or “Praise Jesus!”