Every day I believe when we wake up we have a question to answer before we even step out of me. And that is, do I want to live in this world today, or do I want to live in the one God has for me? I'm not talking about the natural vs. the supernatural, but I am talking more about sin, limitation, circumstances, hurt, depression, confusion.....and so on. I'm not trying to make yours or my every day life sound all dark and depressing, I'm just stating that when we live "in" the world around us we can be easily impacted by all the negativity in that world. We can worry and stress over things that are going on around us more than we should and we can even worry about the things that may never impact us. And to be honest, I think to many people confuse the word worry with the word care. There is a difference between caring about what is going on in the world around you and worrying about it. So if you care, then take it to the only one who truly can change it...because if all you do is stress over it then you are let it change you.
You don't have to watch the news very long to see that the world is full of darkness. It is stuff from right down the street, to things going on on the other side of the world...but it's all some sort of darkness. However, in John 8:12 Jesus gave us a hope that we have to hold onto. He said "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life". What is the "light" that He is speaking of? It's having Him to rely on vs not having Him. It's being able to speak out to and speak the name of Jesus over situations and watching them change. It's having someone to ask for protection and knowing He can and will. It's being able to speak out over your community, city, state, nation and even the world and know that your prayers are making a difference. It's not ignoring the things going on around you and pretending they don't exist, but it is saying "I won't let these circumstances rob me of the peace and joy that is provided to me by my God". To many Christians are living life from one moment to the next. Stressed out and worried from one week to another over things that God fully wants to help with. Anxiety and depression are not things that should run anyones life who is walking with Jesus. He wants you set free! That is not the world He wants us to live in. Trust and faith in a God who already proved how powerful He is over and over throughout history...that is the world He wants us to live in. We, as Christ's followers, are not just supposed to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:16), but we are also supposed to be a hope! What does that look like in an every day practical way? It means walking through the storms of life and not losing your joy or slipping into depression. It means facing things hand in hand with God and praising your way through them. It means speaking out the amazing blessings you have even when everyone else expects you to be cursing your circumstances. It means purposefully looking for God's goodness no matter what is going on around you. And I can tell you that I have put those words into action over my own life and seen the power in them. Not just by keeping the peace and joy in my own life, but also the amazing conversations that I have had with others because they see the storm, but they didn't see the reaction out of me that they expected to.
There truly is only one way to not let the enemy and the things in the dark world rule over you, and that is to STAY IN THE LIGHT. It can't be a 5 minute prayer here and a "thank you for this food" there. Being in God's presence means spending time with Him. Starting off by thanking Him for any and everything you can think of, praising Him for how amazing He is, and then taking the things that are trying so hard to work against you and laying them at His feet. As you do this you will feel Him filling you with peace and joy. A peace that words can hardly describe. And you will begin to walk with a confidence that HE really can help you overcome anything....He really can shed light on any darkness....He really can keep joy in your heart in the midst of anything you face. And You really can choose the world you are going to live in.
God, thank You that You are not bound by limitations. You can bring peace and joy in the midst of any situation when we allow You to. I pray right now that hearts and minds would open up to You and let You do the things that only You can do. Destroy stress, worry, depression, anxiety and all other forms of darkness that are trying to work against us and BE the peace we need. And as You do, please allow our lives to be a living testimony to those around us. In Jesus name, Amen
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