Third Week 0f Lent ~ Thursday

​It is not easy to walk in joy all the time.

It is much easier to complain, the moan, to want revenge. But again and again in scriptures, we see people like Peter and Paul advocating for us to be joyful, loving, kind, truthful... no matter what we are facing.

Why?

How?

- Read 1 Peter 1 

I like this portion of Scripture best in the New Living Translation

- Devotional Thought

​Because it’s more than just now, it’s more than our day to day,it’s even more than our dreams and goals. This life is far more than our expectation. But some days it might not appear so. Some days, the difficult, the hurt and uncomfort may carry on longer than it is welcome. And it distracts us. But we know more now than ever not to stop at what we see because of what we have seen at the cross.

Whether we’re living the dream or can’t wait to get out of the season we are in, we have a truth and a hope that stands far beyond our lifetime here. A dependency that is far beyond our capability, a promise that outweighs any dream we could muster up.

And it’s because of that, the beyond here and now that we can press forward with joy, with life, with more than the troublesome weight that we see lord the world holding onto. It’s because of Jesus, because of the trial Jesus endured that we can walk through anything we face. Because joy isn’t plastering a smile on the top. Joy is digging deep into the bottom of your spirit and crying out to God to help you through.

Joy is realising it’s not up to you.

Joy is remembering that Jesus went to the cross instead of you.

Joy is praising, joy is worship, joy is letting go, joy is tears, joy is a hug, joy is a scripture, joy is a meltdown, joy is a comfort, joy is an end to what I see here to take hold of what he has for me forever.

- Passage to focus on 

​“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​The joy that we read about in scripture doesn’t come from what we see or what we can achieve, but deep out of the fathers love for us. It’s a deep well we can reach into and be filled again and again because living out God's will isn’t reliant on our own strength, but on the Lord.

- Image for today 

- Prayer 

Father God

Thank you for being in the details. For being in the everyday. For being in our high and in our low.

Thank you that our joy is not dependant on the trials we face or the ease we encounter but on the fact that nothing we face affects who you are and what you have done.

Today we choose to se our eyes on you, again and again.

We love you Lord.

- Active idea

​What brings you joy? Where and when are moments in your life where you can trace out the fingerprints of God? Maybe it’s small and maybe it’s life changing but whatever it is, it deserves a chance to be relived. Today, write down every little and large moment of joy that has been a gift from the Lord recently.

Thank you for joining me today! Hope to see you again soon!

Have a blessed Lent

~ X ~