This week, our pastor (Michael Fleming), challenged everyone in our church to journal daily about how the "joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).
Today, it feels easier than most days to comprehend how my joy comes from the Lord. It is not always so easy. Today, our church fasted from sunup to sundown as we had for the last few weeks on Mondays. One of my coworkers was a little taken aback that someone would do something like a fast, which was a good opportunity to explain how this is our way of focusing on the Lord, really seeking God's face as we seek to honor Him, and really allowing Him to be our central focus as He guides us through this next phase of becoming a full-fledged church (e.g. Sunday morning services).
Then, later on tonight, I reconnected with an old friend from Dallas who I haven't seen in some time but will hopefully see over July 4th. She described how she was trusting that God is growing her right now even in the midst of her struggles, but there seemed to be some frustration there in the way she talked as she described how she didn't understand it all. God really used this past week's sermon to full effect as I got to discuss Nehemiah 8 (joy of the Lord is our strength), as well as Romans 8:28 and Joshua 1. It was really awesome to be able to offer strength and calmness to this wonderful friend of mine, realizing full well that the strength I was offering was nothing of myself. It was all God's Word! Few passages of Scripture have been as influential upon my life as "be strong and courageous," which is throughout Joshua 1. Amazing. So my joy in the Lord today allowed me to be a blessing to a friend who needed those words straight from the Lord who loves us to the point of death on a cross. A Lord whose timing always seems right in hindsight, though sometimes not in the moment. A Lord who offers nothing less than Himself, saying "Take my yoke, for my burden is light."
Wait, why don't I trust Him with everything again?
