Do you feel the joy of the Lord today?
Recently, I got myself into a funk. I thought I was living in total contentment, but as my prayers changed from thanksgiving and praise to cries of desperation and hopelessness, I realized that I had taken back the weight of worry and stress that I’d previously laid at Jesus’ feet. By reclaiming the pressure, all of the joy and energy I’d had turned to exhaustion, resulting in near burnout. Feeling completely drained, I begged the Lord to bring back my happiness and draw near to me again. He felt so far away that I didn’t know how to reach Him anymore; however, as I prayed, I heard Him say, “I am right where you left me. Now come back to me, and I will give you rest. Lay down this weight for me to carry, I can take it, and be restored.”
My lack of joy and peace was not a result of God walking away from me; instead, I had walked away from Him, claiming, “I’ve got this.” Meanwhile, the further I walked with the weight on my shoulders and my back to God, the more stuck in the mud of despair and discouragement I became. When I heard God’s voice tell me to come back to Him, I surrendered myself at His feet once more. The following day, I woke up and saw that the world around me was no longer dull but bright with vibrant colors that invited me to rejoice in the goodness of our Savior!
Have you lost your joy? What are you holding onto? Your joy is not lost! The Word declares that the Father will fill us with joy when we come to Him; however, every day, we must choose to either hold onto the reins or leave them in Jesus’ hands.
