discovering joy in the journey

Joy to the Heart

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those
in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4) 

Since giving birth to our fifth precious little one, I have been feeling increasingly overwhelmed by…well…everything.  It is a combination of having a large amount of work to do (Don’t all moms have this?), an increasing lack of time (baby, school x4, chores, outside family commitments), an inconsistent time for Bible reading and prayer, and a decreasing energy (living on little sleep and poor hydration).  This has led me to be weakened in my spiritual and physical strength and a likely target for an attack.  God has allowed this and I have once again been shown how utterly dependent I must be upon Him.

I have been here before, after the birth of our third child, and I remember with vivid detail the depths of that pit.  I also clearly remember God’s hand sustaining me.  (Some of the thoughts below are from what God has shown me in the past and some are formed based on the writings of John Piper in his book ‘When the Darkness Will Not Lift’.)

Dear weary mama and sister in Christ, put on…

• Prayer
  God wants us to turn to Him and pour our hearts out to Him.  Cry out to God for help, for strength, for wisdom.  Pray for our children, marriages, and even for other moms who either are, or may likely be, experiencing similar battles.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God.  My hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation.
He is my fortress, I will notbe shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God.
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people. 
Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
(Psalm 62:5-8)

• Thankfulness
  Put off grumbling and complaining and put on a spirit of gratitude to God…for even the smallest hints of joy (a baby’s giggle, a toddler’s funny saying, an open Bible left in the middle of the playroom floor).

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
(Colossians 2:6-7)

• Truth
  Focus on the life giving truth in God’s Word, the saving power of Jesus Christ from our sin, His great love for us, etc.  Memorize Scripture and hang onto His promises.  Pray for God to speak Truth to our hearts and minds, replacing the lies with His Word.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive
every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians10:4-5)

• The Full Armor of God
  We can not face each day without Christ’s power and strength.  He has given us everything we need for daily battle.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.   (Ephesians 6: 10-18)

• Action
  Do what God has called us to do and serve Him with gladness.  Keep pressing on with the strength He provides and don’t be idle.  Repent from any unconfessed sin and pray for the joy to be restored.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
(Colossians 3:23)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9)

• Patience
  Wait patiently.  He gives us strength to endure dark times and provides a way out.  Eventually, the darkness will lift and the joy will return.  Until then, know that we are never out of the control of His loving Hand.

I waited patiently for the LORD.  He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD  and put their trust in him.
(Psalm 40:1-3)

God is our faithful Father and protector.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad.  Let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous.
You surround them with your favor as with a shield.
(Psalm  5:11-12)

He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(1 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Those leading and tending to the care and training of the next generation are on the front lines every day.  Attacks from the enemy have the goal of rendering us ineffective… ”But the Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)