Restoring Joy

Worry, fear, resentment, and regret are some of my biggest joy-stealers. When I fret about the future, begrudge something in the moment, or feel shame about the past, joy drains from my soul like a sieve.

Can you relate?

Thankfully, God is in the restoration business. Psalm 51 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God... Restore to me the joy of your salvation." Joy is restored to our souls when we daily invite God to remake our hearts. Rather than catastrophizing about the future, beating yourself up about the past, or resenting a present experience, make David's prayer your own. If you missed yesterday's message, you can listen to it here.

PS. Try this, from Tim Timmons:
http://www.10000minutes.com/blog/
Breathe In: JESUS
Breathe Out: YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION
Practice this with me all day long...from the time you wake up till you go to bed!

Power for the Faint

Harvey recovery is gritty and difficult work. It takes a long time to put a house back together after a flood. Truth is, restoration of any kind takes a long time. In an Amazon-Prime world where everything happens so quickly, it’s difficult to wait for results.

Seasons of waiting can make us doubt God. Does God care? Is God listening? But Isaiah invites us to turn the equation. Rather than seeing God’s character through the lens of our circumstances, Isaiah invites us to see our circumstances through the lens of God’s character. That kind of waiting renews our strength (“Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31).

If you missed yesterday’s message (“Power for the Faint”) you can listen to it here.