The "Glad Game"

A couple of definitions from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary… for the word glad:

experiencing pleasure, joy, or delight : made happy, made pleased, satisfied, or grateful

A few nights ago, I watched an old movie that still has a relevant message and will make you glad you watched it. When “Pollyanna” came out in 1960 I was 8 years old, and I still love it.

Pollyanna was an upbeat little girl who lived with her very unhappy and controlling rich aunt. Basically, everyone in the small town was afraid of her aunt and so was Pollyanna, at least to a degree.

Regardless of what life was throwing at Pollyanna, she was determined to find something to be glad about, and her continual talk about the “glad game” became contagious throughout the community.

Pollyanna’s father had been a missionary and he taught Pollyanna the “glad game”. The game is simply this… no matter what is going on in your life look around and find something to be glad about. As Pollyanna would say “there is always something to be glad about” … Pollyanna was right!

As believers in Jesus, as the Christ, we always have something to be glad about. Watching the news and looking at social media paints a pretty gloomy outlook on things too many times, especially in the midst of a pandemic, and that can make us forget all of the things we should still be glad about.

I was reminded from one of my recent daily devotional readings that “The LORD is my shepherd…” (Psalm 23:1) – and the author reminded… it doesn’t say “The LORD was may shepherd” or “The LORD will be my shepherd”. The LORD is my shepherd… present tense. Something to be glad about.

So, if you’re having a bad day, a bad week, a bad month, or a bad year, with no end of bad in sight, look around and find something to be glad about. It might be the simplest thing, but that’s how God speaks to us and shows us how great of a Creator he is. Simple beauty all around us… there is always something to be glad about.

But the righteous are glad; they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy. Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds-- His name is Yahweh-- and rejoice before Him. (Psa 68:3-4 CSB)

Prayer helps us to know God better and when we know God better, we can always find something to be glad about.

The apostle Paul reminded his readers in Philippi to pray about everything… Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:4-7 CSB)

Play “the glad game” today and find something to be glad about – oh, and share it so others will be glad too. Before you know it you’ll be glad every day…

You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy (1Pe 1:8 CSB)

And you might want to watch “Pollyanna” too.

Blessings,

Paul.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999,2000,2002,2003,2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.