Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.
Jesus, Matthew 6:34
Wrong thinking can steal our joy. I realised recently that I was spending a lot of time thinking about the future – which way will it go? How will it be? Theorising and meditating on the future like this simply becomes worrying. Such thinking is frustratingly futile and joy is the most unlikely experience or thought to have.
For a long time, God’s people lived in exile. Instead of enjoying their homeland they were captive in Babylon. And they weren’t enjoying it. God told them to trust Him and wait for His timing. But they could only focus on what they had in the past and what they were hoping for in the future. Prophecy came from Jeremiah, recorded in chapter 29 of his book, that they should start living – really living – there in Babylon; marry and have kids, work hard, pray for things to go well there.
Live now. Live today. Living in the past or the future will do our heads in.
I was just constructing a lego truck with my boy. My mind in default mode easily went to thinking about what I could be doing next – start making brekky, read my TIME magazine, finish blogging. I had to stop myself and realise that I can live now and enjoy the moment without thinking about what comes next. I don’t have to multi-task.
Worrying about the future wastes our time and dishonours our Father God who deserves our trust.
Whatever the future, whatever the details – God is there. He knows and He is not freaking out. So I am free to enjoy the present.
Live now. Have a joy-filled day.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Celebrate
They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Psalm 145:7
For some reason the word “celebrate” makes me cringe a little. Does anyone remember Australia’s bicentennial campaign? Or, wait for it, the song “Celebrate Jesus”?
Enough cringing, I’m writing about joy.
Having young children has given me the chance to celebrate events that I have often given only passing thoughts to. Their birthdays are huge. And of course Christmas is all the more fun. But I was surprised to enjoy Australia Day (26th January) so much this year.
Given a random day off, I can easily spend most of the day wondering about what we could possibly do before getting to the end of it and wondering if we had any fun at all. This year the kids became really interested and before you know it we were downloading flags to colour in and the kids would count flags on passing cars. We ended up having a great bunch of friends over and filled the barbie with all kinds of carnivorous delights.
We had a great day. We engaged. We celebrated. And we really enjoyed it.
God has given us so many special times to enjoy – but it’s so easy to miss the joy that’s there to receive.
What’s coming up that you can celebrate?
What can you celebrate about today?
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Psalm 145:7
For some reason the word “celebrate” makes me cringe a little. Does anyone remember Australia’s bicentennial campaign? Or, wait for it, the song “Celebrate Jesus”?
Enough cringing, I’m writing about joy.
Having young children has given me the chance to celebrate events that I have often given only passing thoughts to. Their birthdays are huge. And of course Christmas is all the more fun. But I was surprised to enjoy Australia Day (26th January) so much this year.
Given a random day off, I can easily spend most of the day wondering about what we could possibly do before getting to the end of it and wondering if we had any fun at all. This year the kids became really interested and before you know it we were downloading flags to colour in and the kids would count flags on passing cars. We ended up having a great bunch of friends over and filled the barbie with all kinds of carnivorous delights.
We had a great day. We engaged. We celebrated. And we really enjoyed it.
God has given us so many special times to enjoy – but it’s so easy to miss the joy that’s there to receive.
What’s coming up that you can celebrate?
What can you celebrate about today?
Monday, February 15, 2010
Take joy
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
I have decided to take a theme for this blog for the year. That theme is joy. I don’t particularly consider myself to be a someone who is constantly full of and expressing joy, but I would like to be more like that and I have come to believe that it may be possible. Joy is something we’d all like to have – we could all use some more joy in our relationships and in what we do.
The Bible mentions joy quite frequently and I have long assumed that as a Christian I should have it, but I have often felt less joyful realising I didn't seem to have it. Joy that comes by surprise and bubbles up from somewhere is wonderful but it’s somehow out of my control.
I have been encouraged recently with the idea that joy is something that I could learn. I have started to wonder if joy is something that I could cultivate and reinforce in my life. I am starting to believe that God wants me to have joy and if I can just believe the right stuff and not believe the wrong stuff then I may be able to possibly walk in joy.
By focussing, I want to chase it down, to understand it and to do my best to apply God’s Word to my heart and my life. I know that there will be a huge benefit to my life but also those around me. Imagine if my kids look back when they’re grown and remember me as being joyful in their childhood. Imagine the glory it would bring to God if others could see or sense the joy on my life – even when it’s tough.
I’m feeling a deposit of hope in my soul, that it is possible to live a joy-filled life, that I can take joy.
I am aiming to write weekly. I won’t be following any curriculum or chronology, and I’ll do my best to keep it real. I hope it encourages you. Feedback and following is very welcome.
PS – Sarah has started a great new blog called “Supermum world-changer” very worth checking out at http://supermumworldchanger.blogspot.com
I have decided to take a theme for this blog for the year. That theme is joy. I don’t particularly consider myself to be a someone who is constantly full of and expressing joy, but I would like to be more like that and I have come to believe that it may be possible. Joy is something we’d all like to have – we could all use some more joy in our relationships and in what we do.
The Bible mentions joy quite frequently and I have long assumed that as a Christian I should have it, but I have often felt less joyful realising I didn't seem to have it. Joy that comes by surprise and bubbles up from somewhere is wonderful but it’s somehow out of my control.
I have been encouraged recently with the idea that joy is something that I could learn. I have started to wonder if joy is something that I could cultivate and reinforce in my life. I am starting to believe that God wants me to have joy and if I can just believe the right stuff and not believe the wrong stuff then I may be able to possibly walk in joy.
By focussing, I want to chase it down, to understand it and to do my best to apply God’s Word to my heart and my life. I know that there will be a huge benefit to my life but also those around me. Imagine if my kids look back when they’re grown and remember me as being joyful in their childhood. Imagine the glory it would bring to God if others could see or sense the joy on my life – even when it’s tough.
I’m feeling a deposit of hope in my soul, that it is possible to live a joy-filled life, that I can take joy.
I am aiming to write weekly. I won’t be following any curriculum or chronology, and I’ll do my best to keep it real. I hope it encourages you. Feedback and following is very welcome.
PS – Sarah has started a great new blog called “Supermum world-changer” very worth checking out at http://supermumworldchanger.blogspot.com
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Delights and desires (Mark)
Sounds a bit fleshy, doesn’t it? Sounds like some kind of sensual marketing. But I read it in the Bible.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
We are right of course to disobey the desires of the sinful nature, those temporal and carnal and selfish desires that would destroy us; but we are wrong to throw all of our desires out with the bath water. We are mistaken to mistrust those desires that resonate and flow out from our hearts. God loves us, and our hearts are precious to Him. In Him, our hearts are good and its desires are redeemed. It is the enemy who has an interest in leading us to doubt our hearts.
There are times when I neglect prayer or reading the Word and it’s easy to begin to feel shame, which doesn’t help at all. When I consider that I have a deep desire to know God better and stir that up, then I am ready to run towards Him.
I can become frustrated at work, resenting the busyness and the paperwork. But it does me good to remember that I have a desire to be a good teacher. Stirring that desire motivates me to enjoy my work all the more.
We are invited to delight in our Lord. It blesses our souls and gives us joy to deliberately and intentionally delight in Him. I can dread all the tasks that must be done in a day or I can decide to appreciate the day that I have been given and all the wonderful opportunities that come with it. We can actively take joy and begin to delight in everything that God has done for us and promised us.
And He won’t neglect those desires that are in our hearts. He would see them spring up and lead us to greater wholeness and joy. Of course, the smiles on our faces will glorify Him more and more.
Our hearts are free. Its desires are good. All I need to do is let myself delight in Him, rather than spending all my energy to seek the desires themselves. He will give them to me.
PS - I have been intrigued lately with the idea that I can learn joy. I am wondering if I can learn soul skills that will lead me to live in greater freedom, maturity and joy.
PPS – I have to credit John Eldredge and what I have learnt from his teaching about our hearts and desire. I’m excited that I picked up a copy of his book called ‘Desire’ and I’m going to start reading it today.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
We are right of course to disobey the desires of the sinful nature, those temporal and carnal and selfish desires that would destroy us; but we are wrong to throw all of our desires out with the bath water. We are mistaken to mistrust those desires that resonate and flow out from our hearts. God loves us, and our hearts are precious to Him. In Him, our hearts are good and its desires are redeemed. It is the enemy who has an interest in leading us to doubt our hearts.
There are times when I neglect prayer or reading the Word and it’s easy to begin to feel shame, which doesn’t help at all. When I consider that I have a deep desire to know God better and stir that up, then I am ready to run towards Him.
I can become frustrated at work, resenting the busyness and the paperwork. But it does me good to remember that I have a desire to be a good teacher. Stirring that desire motivates me to enjoy my work all the more.
We are invited to delight in our Lord. It blesses our souls and gives us joy to deliberately and intentionally delight in Him. I can dread all the tasks that must be done in a day or I can decide to appreciate the day that I have been given and all the wonderful opportunities that come with it. We can actively take joy and begin to delight in everything that God has done for us and promised us.
And He won’t neglect those desires that are in our hearts. He would see them spring up and lead us to greater wholeness and joy. Of course, the smiles on our faces will glorify Him more and more.
Our hearts are free. Its desires are good. All I need to do is let myself delight in Him, rather than spending all my energy to seek the desires themselves. He will give them to me.
PS - I have been intrigued lately with the idea that I can learn joy. I am wondering if I can learn soul skills that will lead me to live in greater freedom, maturity and joy.
PPS – I have to credit John Eldredge and what I have learnt from his teaching about our hearts and desire. I’m excited that I picked up a copy of his book called ‘Desire’ and I’m going to start reading it today.
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