Under the Circumstances?

Here is my favorite quote of all time:

Dr. Howard Hendricks of Dallas Seminary once greeted a student with a cheerful, "How are you?" He was answered drearily, "Oh, okay I guess, under the circumstances." Hendricks looked at him quizzically, "Well, what are you doing under there?"

When I was looking for the exact quote, I found it on the Disciple Makers International website, a ministry within Campus Crusade for Christ. They follow the above quote with:

It's time to stop dwelling under the circumstances that Satan has introduced into your life! It's time to fight back, regain the ground that the enemy has taken from you, and perform the ministry God has given to you! Satan is the greatest loser of all time, and we are the winners--let's start living like winners!

It seems an awful lot of us are doing "fine" under the circumstances. Substitute the word circumstances with the phrase, "Satan's thumb." That changes things considerably, doesn't it?

"Oh, okay I guess, under Satan's thumb." Yikes!

Here is how to get out from under the circumstances:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thes 5:16-18

Heavenly Father, the world is hurting today because of their circumstances. But you have given us clear directions on how to get out and rise above them. We can't do this with our own power. Many times within the past six months, I could not be joyful or give thanks without Your strength, but I sure did pray a lot! I realize now that I never lost my joy, because it runs deep like an underwater spring that continuously bubbles. And I can now give thanks for my circumstances over the past half year, because You've given me a glimpse of what Your plan was all along. This is what I pray that for all those in pain right now, no matter what their circumstances. Help them draw on their inner joy, that which the enemy can never take away; help them to continually turn to You, to talk it out and to listen to your patient voice; and finally, to give thanks, because whatever trials we are going through, they only serve to draw You nearer. I pray all this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!

How are YOU doing today?