Our strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Now that we are solid in the third week of class, I want to make sure I don't forget that I want this semester to be set apart from the others. Rather than let myself be overcome with stress and anxiety, leaving my concerns at the feet of Jesus is my primary goal. This is key if I want my relationship with Christ to not be a self-centered one. That is what our enemy does, he gets us so caught up in ourselves, in what we have or haven't done, that we begin to think we are the only one with this problem. As the author of Hebrews tells us, Jesus gave His life because He was so joyful in being at the right hand of the throne of His father, with us next to Him. I think a lot of times we become discouraged because our will is still not in submission with God's. This is not something that is easy, so don't think I am pointing the finger at anyone!

When the joy of the Lord is our strength however, our whole perspective changes. What was once a menial task can become a chance to give glory to God. I know in my years of working at dining courts, shelving books at the library, working at my dad's restaurant, and doing grueling and filthy jobs like ripping cockroach-infested carpets out, looking to God has helped prevent me from feeling low many times. Part of my original intention in coming to Indiana was my hope that my character would change for the better, and I would be more outgoing, joyful, and optimistic. While that may be so in some ways, I had to learn the hard way that going someplace new just brings all your baggage along for the ride. Which is why it is so important to not make our praise to God a conditional affair; if we are not joyful in our spirits now, we never will be, apart from the joy of the Lord imparted to us. It is my longing for all of us that our hearts are so filled with Jesus that there will be no room for discontent. Remember, worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow-it empties today of its strength!