By Kellen Kenlyn Nakaye
To wake up to the sunlight, with peace of mind, a body full of strength, the company of amazing people, the freedom to go where ever you want to go and the money to buy whatever you want to buy would be the ideal perfect day/ kind of life for the majority of us.
We take on such days with enthusiasm and vigor.
Nevertheless, there comes a day you don’t even want to get out of bed, can’t get yourself started on doing anything, and are hit so hard with discouragement.
What just happened? Where did my strength and enthusiasm go, you might ask.
Well, you have an enemy named satan who will stop at nothing to rob your joy which is your strength.
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
When the Psalmist insists that in God’s presence is fullness of joy, it means that your absence in God’s presence will definitely leave you drained of Joy.
Have you been praying regularly lately? Have you been responding to moments of sadness, weariness, or loneliness by rushing to the word of God to get yourself reminded of his promises or you’ve instead been choosing to distract yourself with movies and the company of friends who do not even point you back to God’s goodness?
As a way to maintain your joy, Matt Chandler a writer on the blog Desiring God emphasises that “Fill your life with things that stir your affection for Jesus and pay attention to keeping away from your heart the things that rob you of those affections, even if those things are morally neutral.”
Personally, I have noticed in my own life that when am not regularly spending time with God in prayer and in his word, I start having anxiety, depression, and discouragement.
I have also noticed that when you are distancing yourself from God, it is easy for you to fall for Satan’s lies which are usually ideas intended to push you in harm’s way and ultimately destroy you because he is a killer and a destroyer.
So, anytime you’re unhappy, push yourself to God. If you feel like you don’t have the words to say to Him in prayer, ask him to speak to you; He always has something to say to us his children and He said we can hear his voice.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27
God loves you dearly,
Yours truly,
Kellen
