Hello, my friend!
I hope you’re having a peaceful, joy-filled, confident week! I listened to an excellent podcast this morning in which Alex Clark’s guest, pastor Jonny Ardavanis, discussed the ballooning epidemic of anxiety in our culture today, and it fired me up to proactively pursue peace, joy, and assurance rather than waiting, with proverbial fingers crossed, for worry to wash over and unmoor me from what should be my immovable foundation of faith and trust in God’s sovereignty and perfect will for my life.
A few verses I read today that remind me of God’s goodness and power through life’s storms:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14: 27
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
Here’s the whole interview. I promise it will bless you!
Since the intro was in itself the length of a typical Top 4, I’ll leave it at that for today.
Okay, I lied. Here’s one more quote I just have to share, from writer Harold V. Melchert.
HOW TO SWEETEN SUCCESS
“Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point. Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing moment; and the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the journey.”
BROKEN TO BLESS
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4, MSG, emphasis mine).
Whatever the tribulum (from where we get our English word, tribulation) is in your life that’s brought you to your knees, whatever the size of the spirit-crushing weight that once rendered you emotionally immobile as you stared up helplessly at a starless sky, let it “do its work” with the Lord’s intervention; He yearns to anoint it with the supernatural scent of His perfect plan and purpose.
Don’t let depression, bitterness, and dejection stay bottled up inside your alabaster jar (see Matthew 26). It will soon turn rancid and inevitably spill out of you in a torrent of rampant hostility – and hostility has a Very. Bad. Stench.
We’ve all gone through a crushing. It’s up to us whether we’ll trust the experiences in the hands of God to create oil, wine, and perfume, or let them disintegrate within the chambers of a calloused heart.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don’t for a moment escape God’s notice (Psalm 51:7, MSG).
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