I'm EnthusiasticSýnishorn

How To Start Fresh

So, what’s the cure? What if another diaper blowout, another flat tire, another failed exam, another rejection, another round of illness, and another loss have begun to suck the life out of you? What if you’ve become lax in making God a part of your daily life, and now you’re stuck? How can we listen to God’s correction in Revelation 2:4-5, and go back to the former things?

First, David apologized. If you’ve been neglecting someone dear to you, you owe them an apology. If you’ve been neglecting your time and devotion with the Creator of the universe, treating His value as less than your own comfort, you owe Him an apology too. Even if you’ve let severe pain or suffering pull you away from His loving care and toward your own bitterness, apologize. Realizing your part in your struggle—then apologizing for it—is the first step on the path out. He has told us to come to Him when we’re weary. When we do, He’ll restore to us the joy of our salvation.

We read in Psalm 51 about David’s repentant heart. He asked God to clean out his heart, and renew his spirit. He realized the more he looked to himself, the more he was just a lazy jerk who cared more about his lust than another man’s life. The more he looked to God, the more he was like that enthusiastic boy who fearlessly toppled a giant to save his nation. He realized he must become less so God could become greater. Tomorrow, let’s finish strong by looking at examples of lives lived with this type of enthusiasm. Here’s a hint: you can make history when you become less to make God greater.

Pray: Make a list of anything that steals your joy. Include the small and the big things. Go someplace quiet, read it to God, then say, “God, You’re worth more than this. I trust You. You’re the good in my life. Show me how to walk with You through all this each day. How can I become less, so You can become greater?”