Welcome back Abundant Joy family! I know many of you have wondered where I went and why I stopped making posts and podcast episodes, and honestly the only reason is “life”! I’d hoped to be more active on this platform but unfortunately life just got busy and has continued to stay busy. I still hope to be a bit more active than I have been in the past year but thank you for your grace and patience as I hop back in when I can! I appreciate those of you who have encouraged and prayed for me in this!
My goal today and in everything I post here is to create a comfortable space where we can share our stories of what God has and continues to do in our lives.
Yesterday, I was reading Psalm 34 in my quiet time and I encourage you all to read and study that passage as a whole in more depth.
Psalm 34:4-10: “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
I know a lot of people who have been walking through a hard season of life recently. Maybe you didn’t get the job you wanted. Maybe you are walking through the loss of a loved one. Maybe you are struggling with a broken relationship. Maybe you are navigating the news of a diagnosis. Maybe you are disappointed with a situation that didn’t go the way you’d prayed for. And often times these situations stir up a lot of feelings for us. You might experience worry, fear, or anxiety, or maybe even anger. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t also felt this way at some point as well in seasons of hardship I’ve walked through in the past and even recently. And I let all my feelings feel for the time needed, while also leaning into the truth of the Gospel and moving forward knowing that God is sovereign through it all. The Lord is good no matter what happens here on earth, no matter the circumstance.
Friends, check in on one another. Offer an inviting space to sit with them in the midst of what they are experiencing.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” – Romans 12:15
And point them to God by inviting them to seek His face. Better yet, do that together. Pray with them, pray for them, invite God to cover that space.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” – Psalm 34:18
When we are afraid and desperate, what better place to turn to than Jehovah Jireh, God who provides. Let’s be constant in prayer, keeping our gaze fixed on the Lord, trusting Him in everything.
Psalms 34: 1-3: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.”
Prayer
Father, first and foremost we come to you today with a heart of praise. We thank you for who you are and all that you do for us. Lord you have made us beautifully complex, you’ve knit us together yourself, your workmanship. As our wonderful Creator, you know every little thing about us, every thought, every emotion. Today we bring to you our full hearts and we lay everything down at your feet. We invite you into the mess and thank you for the blessing that we don’t have to carry everything ourselves. You are Jehovah Jireh, our provider, and we trust your heart and love for us, knowing that you have good plans for us even if we struggle to see it amidst our circumstances. We bring to you praise and exultation, that despite what we are walking through right now, we know the truth that death and darkness has already been defeated through the death and resurrection of your son Jesus. We lean into The Truth. God, I pray that we seek your face this week, going deeper into prayer with you, bringing everything to you so that we do not attempt to carry everything ourselves. We love and praise you Lord.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Abundant Joy 