Joy

Recently the word and definition of "joy" has been on my heart. The difference between happiness and joy has come into my thoughts daily as I look to become involved in things down here that add to the joy that Christ is continually growing in my heart.

I used to think to myself: "Every day is a new day; a  new day for change, happiness, and to simply have a fresh start."
Through Christ's word it has been revealed that not only is every day new, but every moment is new. Every single moment of our lives we have the choice to turn anything around. Through Christ's love and salvation we no longer need to look at what we did 10 mins ago with shame and disappointment. But instead embrace the power of the cross and the sacrifice Christ made for us so that our hearts could begin to fill with joy through his gift.

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richest of God's grace."
Ephesians 1:7

Through reflections such as these I have been able to see that through Christ alone is joy able to truly fill my heart. As the walls of my heart can get muddied up with regret, shame and doubt Christ continues to take a wash cloth drenched in his blood to clean up every single mess I have allowed to live in my heart, where only his grace, and glory should abound.

My heart continues to fill with joy with every new adventure God has me embarking on. Looking back and realizing I could have never laid out this path for my life through my own doing humbles me before my King. I have met so many amazing, godly individuals here in Rochester who have continued to push me towards the young woman that Christ has created me to be.

I continue to pray that the writings that make up this blog are all to the glory of Christ. Not for humanly recognition but for his glory only. Keep running towards Christ, digging into his word and allowing your heart to be completely in awe of his glory and love!

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Clarity

"Jesus answered,'Everyone who drinks this living water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

John 4.13

I have met a few people in my life who seem to be always thirsty. They either carry around a water bottle with them, or they go through 6 glasses of a beverage at dinner. It always amazed me that they were able to still eat their dinner on top of drinking about a gallon of water before, during, and after their meal!

I have always been the type of person to kind of ignore my body's thirst signal. I know it's not the healthiest of things to do. Whether I was running around during college or now as I have been working on a post-surgical floor it seems almost impossible to have time to take a few sips of water throughout my day. My body has gotten accustomed to it's signals of thirst and I am able to make it through my whole day without having any water. 

On top of not drinking enough water, I have found that recently as I have begun doing the Insanity workout series that even that doesn't seem to increase my desires for hydration. I have to intentionally fill a glass of water and drink it all because I know I won't remember how much fluid i lost during my work out and just go about my day. 

It was during my prayer time this morning that I began to see how my thirst for scripture was similar to my thirst for earthly water. 

I make it a point of my day to spend time with God. In prayer for a few moments, and then reading and reflecting on teachings of his word. However  God has revealed to me that I have been neglecting the power of his word, his living water. 

Just like when I finish up with my insanity work out I am wanting to run to the cupboard and grab a bite to eat instead of drinking water, I have been running to other people's teachings instead of God's handwritten words. 

Just as neglecting my bodily thirst for hydration, I have been neglecting my hearts desire to interact and hear from Christ through his living water. 

Insanity is an difficult workout requiring a lot of physical energy and endurance to complete each workout, and just as much motivation to start the video the next day. Without the water my body is thirsting for it is difficult. I can't replenish my body, and I am not able to physically quench my bodies desire for moisture as I have grown use to just eating instead of drinking. I am filling my body with a replacement for water.

It is true that through hearing other leaders interpretations of biblical truth i have grown stronger in my faith. Still however it seems to me that I have the thirst for living truth that is never quenched after hearing a message. As Jesus says to the woman at the well ""If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4. 10. -- "whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." Oh what truth! Only Christs words, and instructions can give me the satisfaction of his love and his will for my life. 

Running to the cupboard instead of the faucet has to stop! Just as I need to stop running to other people for interpretation of Christs word. I fully believe it's healthly and beneficial to hear sermons and so on, however I feel it is absolutely vital to continue to interact daily with Christs word, and his instructions. God created us all to be unique individuals who, while working together in community can have an impact in this fallen world. I know I need to be receptive to his calling, his leading and most importantly the words and instructions he has left with us in his Holy Bible. 

What a blessing it has been to be able to connect with many messages from different individuals about Biblical truth. However, being able to see just how important individual biblical study is has opened my eyes to completely satisfying the desires of my heart.