Be Joyful In All Things

^" Rejoice always,  pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances;  for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I think one of the most difficult things in life is being joyful when something horrible is happening. No matter who you are or what you have been through you can relate to that in some way. I have been working on being joyful in the loss of my son. Don't get me wrong, I am not jumping up and down all excited. To me being joyful is about turning the bad into good. I have never experienced a greater pain than the moment that the doctor told me that Jacob's heart had stopped, at that time being joyful was the last thing I thought I would ever be. I felt that way for a long time after. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I realized that I needed to stop being angry and start being joyful.
Being joyful in the loss of a baby is very difficult. I would give it all up to have him here to hold and tuck in at night. To me finding the joy is making a difference. Supporting others who have experienced the loss of a child.
I have been thinking about it for awhile and I think that when God gives us difficult situations and things that are hard to handle it is to bring us closer to him. He wants to strengthen our faith and trust in him. I am trying everyday to learn to be joyful in my situation.