This morning I woke up in a funk. If this has never happened to you, you can move on, but I have a small feeling I'm not the only one that struggles with this from time to time. The smallest thing can bring this on, and usually about half way through my day I realize that I don't need a coffee drink to cheer me up, I don't need to shop at Target to cheer me up, and I can't even pull myself up by my bootstraps and get it together. The only thing that can get to the depths of my spirit is Jesus himself. I need more than any advice a friend can offer.
I did what works best for me and I sat down and got in the word. God's word has a way of piercing you heart and bring things into perspective. Unfortunately I was not moved. I read. I journaled and I was in a funk still.
Fast forward a few hours and I was spending time at a coffee shop preparing for something I'm sharing tonight. I get the great joy to share with college students about where I have struggled in the past with finding my identity in something other than God. Jokes on them, because I'm sharing how I still struggle with this in a certain area! We're not talking about a past struggle people, I'm keeping it real and sharing about a a struggle I have now. I might fight that until the day Jesus takes me home. Anyhow I was sitting here thinking about what I was going to talk about and I pulled out one of my all time favorite books of all time, GOD CALLING.
I opened it up to today's entry and my heart was so moved. Tears flowed as I felt the Spirit move in my heart through this entry.
The call comes on this My Day for all who love Me, to arise from earth-bands, from sin, and sloth and depression, distrust, fear, all that hinders the Risen Life. To arise to Beauty, to Holiness, to Joy, to Peace, to work inspired by Love and Joy, to rise from death to Life.
Remember that death was the last enemy I destroyed. So with death My Victory was complete. You have nothing then to fear. Sin, too, is conquered and forgiven, as you live and move and work with Me. All that depresses you, all that you fear, are powerless to harm you. They are but phantoms. The real forces I conquered in the wilderness, the Garden of Gethsemeane, on the Cross, in the Tomb.
Let nothing hinder your Risen Life. “Risen with Christ,” said My servant Paul. Seek to know more and more of that Risen Life. That is the Life of Conquest. Of that Risen life was it truly said; “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in Me.” Fear and despair and tears come as you stand by the empty Tomb. “They have taken him away My Lord and I know not where they have laid Him.”
Rise from your fears and go out into the sunlight to meet Me, your Risen Lord. Each day will have much in it that you will meet either in the spirit of the tomb, or in the spirit of the Resurrection. Deliberately choose the one and reject the other.
And with that God prompted my heart to move towards His. I want to deliberately choose to meet him in the spirit of the Resurrection and not in the spirit of the tomb. Jesus has given me life and I can find joy in that.
I'm working out of my funk and I'm putting my mind on things above. On the death and resurrection of my Savior for me.
