quiet joy

Saturday, July 5, 2014 (8:02 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Father God,

Thank You!

Several days of not feeling well have allowed my mind to shift. Emotions have leveled out. There's a true sense of peace and calm where angst had recently been. A quiet joy, if You will.

Mm. Quiet joy. I like the sound of that.

Father, how I thank You for the hope that comes with each new day. Hope that is based on Your Word. Your Truth. Your love.

Thank You that even in the thinking of these thoughts a comforting hymn gently started singing itself. ♫My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness... On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand...♫

Blessed Father how I thank You for the way You shift my thinking. Much earlier I fell into the “how will I change...?” way of thinking. I want different. Better uses of our time. And once again I was sure that it was up to me to enact those changes. NOT!

YOU reminded me that it's never by me redoubling my efforts that I am going to accomplish the deeply seeded changes that need to take place in our every day lives. “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6b).

Comforting Father God, YOU are far more aware than we could ever be of all that needs to take place in our hearts, souls, minds and strength for us to be able to love You as Jesus deemed the first and greatest commandment of all (Matthew 12:37). YOU are the Source of all change that needs to take place in and around us!

I get to look into Your Word. I am blessed by the number of times I am told to “fear not”. “Do not be afraid.” Right here I confess to the number of times that I absolutely forget these teachings. I jump headlong right in to despair. Forgive me Father. Truly. I WANT to know better!

I look up the word COMFORT in The Life Recovery Bible's topical index. It tells me, “(see also Holy Spirit, Peace)”. Having followed Your lead to come sit outside with You this morning, I am indeed doing just that. The peace I am experiencing truly comes only from Your blessed Holy Spirit. Thank You Father.

So many things are now in need of our attention around here that I absolutely have no idea where to begin. Truly Father, I have allowed so much to get by me that I am so deeply in over my head that I cannot possibly work myself back up to the surface.

That is what is truly so cool about this morning! Absolutely nothing has changed, except my attitude! I know that it is indeed YOU who is in charge here. It's YOU who holds the key to what we ought to do next. YOU who will provide us every ounce of strength and power and wisdom necessary to work and build together.

Thank You Father.