Downhearted? No!

Are we downhearted, no, no, no –  Are we downhearted, no, no, no – Troubles may come and troubles may go, but we’ll trust in Jesus … I remember standing up in children’s church at the age of 8 surrounded by other kid’s singing with our outside voices, boisterous and in no particular key. Singing and shouting – Are we downhearted?  No! No! No!   But sometimes we are downhearted.  It’s easy to sing the words, belt them out for all the world to hear, but rumbling deep inside is a source of discontent that doesn’t stop when we hear the music.  What we know at age 8 about being downhearted, is little comparison to how that translates into realities of adulthood.  Right?
That’s only partially right.  This is why.  Doesn’t life experience teach us that life is a series of good and bad, mountain top joy and pummeled defeat, troubles come and troubles go? How often do we prayerfully claim what Jeremiah says in chapter 32: 27 ““I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” I have countless times gone to the Lord and pointed out to him that I can’t change this circumstance, but “God, you can. Nothing is too hard for you.” Does that sound familiar?
At that point, my fretting should be over. When I pray, “God, please take this.” I should be at peace and let go of the tenacious grasp on whatever it is that’s robbing my energy and blinding me from noticing everything else that’s good in my life.  Time to trek back to the ultimate living document – the ‘thankful list’.  If you don’t have a thankful list, there are many benefits to having one.  When I forget about the blessings in my life, I am reminded of them when I read my thankful list.  I’m not sure how I came up with that idea back in the winter of 2003, but I remember I was leading a Bible study at the time and when we were in Isaiah, I was prompted to start writing down everything I was thankful for because when I was deeply discouraged, I needed the reminder that even though everything seemed to be working against me for that time, I had many more things to be thankful for.  The ‘thankful list’ replaces negative thoughts and renews my mind so I can think of good things.
Here are a few encouraging words for today. If you are in the dungeon of defeat, or scaling the top of the mountain remember that no matter what, no matter where, life is best when God is there.  I’m going to skip thought Isaiah 58 – hang on while we learn that God is with us. “your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you,  and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard…. you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame….. then you will find your joy in the Lord.” And Isaiah 60: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,  but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
He is with you ,,,, God is with you,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AAALBo2DKs
 

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