Joy in the Morning

Last year I learned something from one of my sons that really stuck with me.  He said, "Mom, you know, opportunity (blessings) are right around the corner.

That reminded me of 

Psalm 30:5

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

For YOU

James 1:17 says, " Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights."

God gives us good gifts, and that includes His presence, His love, and His grace.

God's love is for you.

Grace is yours.

God's presence is all around us...covering us and calling us.

Blessed!

In James 1:12 the author says, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial". 

Have you experienced a trial that was really difficult?

Did you consider yourself "blessed"?

Spend some time with this verse, and let God bless you!

Trials are a Joy

In James 1:2 the author says, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you face various kinds of trials."

The idea of being joyful because we are in a trial is so foreign to our culture, that we have difficulty associating with this scripture.  It's like, "you want me to what?"

Pray into this verse and see what happens.  What thoughts come to you?  

Joy from Despair

Philippians 4:4 reminds us that sometimes the greatest joy emerges from the depths of despair.

Bear in mind that when the Apostle Paul wrote "Rejoice in the Lord always!" he was in prison, separated from everyone he loved and cared about.  In the midst of his great sorrow, God gave him joy!

Forgiving

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Luke 11:4


It's not that our forgiveness is conditional, it's just that forgiveness is a natural outpouring of being forgiven. 

Spend some time with this verse and write down your thoughts.

Listening…Forgiveness

Have you thought about how forgiveness really happens?  

 Do you view it as something you ask for and seek? 

Or is it something God comes to me giving, and I yield to (thus what we call repentance). 

Take some time to explore how you experience forgiveness. Listen to God's heart.

Open your heart and make space for God’s forgiveness and spend time in the wonderful yielded place of surrender to God.

Listening

Ask God to teach you to Listen with your Heart…

The Gift of Laughter

Psalm 100:2 says,

Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourself into His presence!


The Psalmist knows the character of God...he knows that God is creator of joy and laughter. In this passage he is telling his readers to offer laughter as a gift to the Lord.


As you talk to God, explore what it is like to "laugh" with God and offer the gift of laughter TO God.

Part of the Journey

Daily, we walk with Jesus.

He carries us sometimes, but every day we carry our cross.

Luke 9:23 says, "take up his (our) cross daily" to follow Him.

It's not pretty. 

Or easy.

It's all part of the journey.

God's Rest

Hebrews 4:3 says,

"...enter into that (God's) rest" 

What does that look like?

Spend time this moment in God's rest.

Done

In Hebrews 7 the preacher talks about high priests of old, and THE high priest (Christ) who offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins.  It’s important to note that in Hebrews 7:27 he writes,

“…this He (Jesus) did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

What was done on the cross cannot be undone.

Holy

Hebrews 9:12

“He (Christ) entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

As you spend time with this scripture, consider what “holy” means to you.

Know that heaven is now and not yet.

Now, consider what eternal redemption looks like.  Do you consider (today) that you have been eternally redeemed?  Why or why not?

Pause

You heard Christ speak His last words:

"Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit."

Spend time today - pause - commit yourself into God's hands.

Christ's Love

Christ's love has moved me…His love has the first and last word in everything we do.

 2 Cor 5:14 The Message


Let Christ's love flow through you and spill out on others!

Do Nothing

Do you ever ask, "what do you want me to do God?" or "where are you, God?"

Those are questions people ask me as a spiritual director.  They are questions I myself have asked.  There are times we feel alone and don't know how to proceed. 

This may sound a little strange, but most of the time God is waiting on us.  What? 
Yea, He is waiting on us to come to Him and wait - sit and wait.

Psalm 46:1 says "be still and know I am God."

Often the best way to "hear" God is to be silent and wait. 

In other words, do nothing. 

Can you do nothing? 

Try it.

nothing.

Be still.

Humility

I Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God"...

Humility means we let God be "the driver" and we give up control.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus did just that when He said, "not my will but..yours".

Can we do less?

Thanks for Listening

In John 11 just prior to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, he prayed and in the Message version, one of the things Jesus said was:  “Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me.”

It reminded me of one of my children saying, “thanks for listening, Mom”.  Even though I love to talk with them and listen, it always meant a lot when they made a point of saying, “thanks for listening”.

Today, spend some time with God being grateful that He is listening.