Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

This is a scripture that we Christians take great pleasure in quoting.  We quote and claim this because we believe that if we do in fact delight ourselves in the Lord He will give us whatever we ask.   

John 14:13 (NLT) You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Well most of us know from experience that God doesn’t always give us what we want.  So does that mean that we aren’t delighting ourselves in the Lord?  

The leader of the weekly bible study at my church has highlighted this scripture in two of his recent studies and that prompted me to ask the question what does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord?  Then when you know what it means how do you do it?

Delight yourself in the Lord

When David wrote Psalm 37 he was apparently upset because of the prosperity of the wicked.  They didn’t follow God and yet everything appeared to be going great for them.  But when you read the entire psalm you see that while the wicked delight in carnal or physical things we the children of God, should never be envying them..  We are to look at and delight in the things of God and His Kingdom.  When we look at those things and delight in the Lord and the promises in His Word, we realize that the day of their day of  reckoning  is coming and it won’t be pretty.

Psalm 37:12-20 (NLT) 12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. 13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. 14 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. 15 But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. 17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly. 18 Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. 19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. 20 But the wicked will die. The LORD’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.

But the righteous, who delight themselves in the Lord, will be rewarded.

Psalm 37:21-31 (NLT) 21 The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. 22 Those the LORD blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die. 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. 25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26 The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing. 27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. 28 For the LORD loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. 29 The godly will possess the land and will live there forever. 30 The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. 31 They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from his path.

The word “delight” here is a Hebrew word, “anog”, and means something “delicate” or “soft” that a person would enjoy, and take delight in.

Isaiah uses the word of a nursing child who delights in his mother;  

Isaiah 66:11 (NKJV) That you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory."

He also uses it of the luxuries found in palaces.  

Isaiah 13:22 (NLT) Hyenas will howl in its fortresses, and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces. Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive.

When you delight in something, your thoughts are constant towards it; you think about it all the time.  When you think about it you smile.  When things get tough, thinking about it lifts your spirits.  That’s the kind of delight David is talking about.  

This Delight is Mutual

As our scripture says we are to delight ourselves in the Lord and if we do He will give us the desires of our hearts.  That signifies a mutual relationship.  We delight in the Lord and He gives us our heart’s desires.  

Here’s an example of what I mean from the book of Zephaniah

Zephaniah 3:14-17 (NLT) 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. 16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! 17 For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

What Zephaniah said is that we are to rejoice with our whole hearts.  In other words delight ourselves in the Lord because He is with us.  Then he says, in verse 17, that the Lord is indeed with us and, because He is, He will delight in us.  We are to find our delight in our relationship with the Lord.  

Isaiah 58:14 (NLT)   Then the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Psalm 16:11 (NLT) You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 40:8 (NKJV)  I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."

Romans 7:22 (NKJV)   For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NLT) 1  Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.2  But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.

How do You Delight Yourself in the Lord?

We delight ourselves in the Lord by doing what pleases Him and putting His law, His Word, in our hearts. Matthew Henry in his Exposition of the Old and New Testaments said “He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humours of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him and to be pleased in him.”

Delighting ourselves in the Lord, as I wrote earlier means that our thoughts are constant towards God and that everything we do is in obedience to Him.    Because we are not yet completely conformed to the image of Christ, we can’t do this on our own.  

Romans 8:29 (NLT) For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

We need the work of the Holy Spirit to help us delight ourselves in the Lord.  

John 14:26 (NLT) But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

The Holy Spirit helps us but here is what we can do as well.  

• Confess sin - 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Trust - Genesis 15:6 (NLT) And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith. 
  
• Pray - Luke 11:11-13 (NLT) 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
  
• Meditate on God’s word -   Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)   Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

        Psalm 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 77 (NKJV) 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.         24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your                   commandments, For I delight in it. 47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love. 77         Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight. 

• Wait on the Lord - Psalm 27:14 (NLT) Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
  
  

All of this sounds good and we are able to do these things when all we have to deal with are the normal day-to-day issues of life; going to work, going to church, dealing with the bills, the kids, typical marriage struggles, normal sickness like colds and the flu.  But what about those times where a loved one is seriously ill,  a marriage is falling apart,  your finances are at the point where you are going to lose your home, you just lost your job with no prospects for finding another one, you have a wayward child, or any other catastrophic life event.  

You are doing the five things I just mentioned that help you delight yourself in the Lord and things don’t change.  Your desire is, of course that these things change.  The key is to believe in the promises of God and to trust that what He says He can and will do.  

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)  For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Remember that to delight yourself in the Lord is to completely submit to His will and in submitting, to accept His will.  That’s impossible for us to do to do when catastrophe strikes, but it is only possible when we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit.  When we run out of words to say or pray, the Holy Spirit does the praying for us with groaning that we don’t understand.  

Romans 8:26-28 (NLT)26  And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.27  And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.28  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

1 Corinthians 2:11 (NLT)  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.

Will God Really Give You the Desires of Your Heart?

Delighting ourselves in the Lord means that we find peace and fulfilment in Him.  Our scripture says that if we delight ourselves in Him then He will give us what we desire.  Does that mean if we go to church every Sunday, bible study every week, have a long quiet time with Him every day, and “seek and save the lost”,  that He will give us a new Mercedes, a big new house, a wife or husband?  He may do those things but that’s not what Psalm 37 or other scriptures say. The idea in Psalm 37 and other scriptures is that if we really delight in the things of God, then our desires will start to look like His.  When that happens He will fulfill every one of our desires.  He will even grant our wants, as our heart’s desires begin to match up with His will.  Chances are that when you delight in the Lord your greatest desires will not be for material things but your priority will be on Him.

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

While wealth, status, and material possessions are good things, and there is nothing wrong with any of them, they are temporary and can never really satisfy.  The more material things we have the more we want.  The more prestige we have the more we want.  The more money we have the more we want.  Again there is nothing wrong with any of these things but they are all temporary.  The things of God’s kingdom are the things that will last forever.  

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV) 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Here’s the way Solomon puts it;

Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NLT) “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NLT) 13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14  God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

On the other hand;

1 Timothy 6:6 (NLT) Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) 15  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Material things, prestige, position and the other things the world offers will never completely satisfy or fulfill us. God is the one who will meet all of our needs.   He will always provide above and beyond our expectations.

John 4:14 (NLT) But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

 God will satisfy the desires of anyone who is truly delighting in Him because those desires will be according to His will. The key to enjoying life is not in getting God to give us what we want. It’s in learning to want what a loving God wants to give us. When we truly delight ourselves in the Lord, then we desire His will more that our own.  Yes, God really does give us the desires of our hearts when we delight ourselves in Him.

Editors note:  Originally published August 2015 modified 8-26-17 to improve final paragraph.

Focus

So many people are depressed and discouraged today because their focus is on themselves and  on their present circumstances.   They are pre-occupied with their problems--what they don’t have and what’s wrong with them. They don’t realize it, but they’re allowing the enemy to steal their hope. This negative frame of mind keeps you from moving forward in life.  Your focus is all wrong.  

Luke 10:38-42 (HCSB)38  While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.39  She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said.40  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”41  The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,42  but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What Martha was doing was not wrong;, in fact she was preparing a meal and making sure that her guests were being well taken care of.  She was being a great hostess.  The fact that her sister wasn’t helping her was causing stress and anxiety.  If I am cleaning the house for somebody coming over, mopping the floors, vacuuming, cleaning up the bathroom and Ruth is sitting listening to gospel music or even reading her bible and we are expecting our guest in 30 minutes I may be a little upset..

Martha's focus on tangible, practical issues masked the deeper questions she wrestled with: Why am I the only one working to make things better? Why do people ignore me? Why don't other people follow the rules? Why am I always worried? Is it okay to enjoy things? Jesus knew this, so when Martha confronted him in exasperation, He paid attention to her. He heard her words, but more than that, He heard her heart. He redirected her focus, calling her out of her circumstances: “but few things are needed—or indeed only one” (Luke 10:42). The one thing she needed was Him.

Like Martha, the answer to simplifying your life and becoming the new you is to focus all your attention, thought and worship on Jesus. He is the only one who provides lasting purpose to fulfill your deepest desires.

Hebrews 12:2 (HCSB)  keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

Paul gives you an example of someone working hard and focusing on something that in the end doesn’t really mean anything when you consider eternity.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NKJV)24  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.25  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

In Paul’s day, instead of giving gold medals for winning first place in an Olympic event, a crown of olive or laurel leaves was placed on the winner’s head. By the time the athlete went home that night, the wreath would already be wilting and falling apart. Think of that. All that energy expended for a wreath that didn’t last beyond the day.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (NKJV)26  Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.27  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul contrasts this with putting your efforts into running a race of another kind—a race that advances the purposes of God in the world. If you enter into that race and you run hard, God will give you a wreath that doesn't perish, an eternal crown, a reward that doesn't wilt, but that lasts forever.

Take a look at your focus.  Is it in the right place? Or is the pace you’re keeping causing you to drift and your focus becoming blurred?  Are you running after something that is fleeting, that won’t last?

Look to God’s Word for things that will help you to focus and simplify your life.  Something that will keep you focused on where you need to invest your time, energy and gifts.  Choose a scripture and make it your own.  

Here are some suggestions:

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV)  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)12  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV)  Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.

Isaiah 50:7 (NKJV)  "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NKJV)  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

If you don't already have a scripture of your own that you can lean on to focus you and none of the scriptures in this post or this series works for you take a look at My Picks at the end of this and the other posts in the series.  

Embrace Your New Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV)1  To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:2  A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;3  A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;4  A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;5  A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;6  A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;7  A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;8  A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

In this scripture there are twenty-eight seasons.  You are likely to experience everyone of them in your lifetime.  To simplify your life you need to recognize the season you’re in right now--  identifying it bring clarity.  When you identify it you are more likely to notice God’s hand in it, able to learn the lessons He wants you to learn, and to maximize the spiritual growth opportunities in your current season.

There’s a reason for every season in your life. When you’re in a hard season you want out of it and you try things to help you get through it. Some of those things like, alcohol, drugs, food, busyness won’t help.  It’s easy to want to escape the discomfort, and ignore reality. If you’re a Christian, God is continually working to refine your character and make you more like Jesus. He has things to teach you, especially in the uncomfortable, painful seasons of your life. Learn all you can during them.

Romans 8:28-29 (NKJV)28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

You aren’t in your current season by accident. God’s hand is in it, and there’s a purpose for it.  Once you realize it you won’t cling to this season if it’s a comfortable one and the next one is difficult.  You’ll be willing to eagerly step into the new season.  

Here are some the the things that the bible says about moving forward into you new seasons.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV)18  "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.19  Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Psalm 32:8 (NKJV)  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (NKJV)6  "The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: 'You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.7  Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.8  See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers--to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--to give to them and their descendants after them.'

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;7  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37:5-6 (NKJV)5  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.6  He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

The Legacy of a Simplified Life

There’s no point in simplifying your life if you’re headed to an end that doesn’t matter to begin with.  Solomon, who the bible says was the wisest man who ever lived is our example of that person who seemingly had it all but when he died his kingdom ended and was split in two.  We’ve seen similar empires crumble.  Remember Blockbuster, Lehman Brothers, Enron --- all multi-billion dollar companies.   We have the option of learning from Solomon’s mistakes. Don’t get to the end of your life and realize you spent your one and only life on this earth on distractions.

With limitless wealth at his disposal, Solomon tried to find satisfaction with the fervency of a world class athlete.  He recorded his findings in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes—twelve chapters about what matters and what doesn't matter.   He records what will satisfy you and what will leave you feeling as if all you did with our life was chase the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:17-23 (NKJV)17  Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.18  Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.19  And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.20  Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.21  For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.22  For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?23  For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

Be careful where you pin your hopes and dreams. It’s not simply the risk that those things might not satisfy—which is scary enough. It’s the risk that they might disappear altogether. Even if you’re successful and build something great---when you retire or die, then what?   It could all turn to dust in a heartbeat. All your time and effort could end up blowing in the wind.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

When Jesus said this He meant just what it says.  Our priority is to seek the things of God over everything else.  That means that first we are to seek salvation because that in itself is greater than all the riches in the world.  It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do the things that help to sustain our physical lives, but it does mean that our focus should be on God and His kingdom and not those things.  If our priority is “taking care of God’s business--seeking His salvation, living in obedience to Him, sharing the gospel with others--then He will take care of “our business”.  If you keep that attitude there is no need to worry.

How do you know you are seeking God’s  God’s kingdom first?  Ask yourself these questions.

• Where do I spend my time and energy?
• Is all my time and money spent on goods and activities that perish, or in the services of God—the results of which live on for eternity?” 
  

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV)16  Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,18  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

Believers who have learned to truly put God first may then rest in this holy dynamic: “…and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God has promised to provide your every need.  God’s idea of what you need may be different from yours and His timing may conflict with yours and sometimes we may suffer loss.  If that happens remember Job who God allowed Satan to devastate, but in the end God restored him with double what he lost.  

Job 1:2-3, 13-19 (NKJV)2  And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.3  Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. - 13  Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house;14  and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,15  when the Sabeans raided them and took them away--indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"16  While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"17  While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"18  While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,19  and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

Job 42:10-13 (NKJV)10  And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.11  Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.12  Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.13  He also had seven sons and three daughters.

When you simplify your life, in essence what you’re trying to do is to remove the clutter so that you can live in freedom and with focus on things that really really matter.

If you follow God’s Word it’s going to lead you toward a path of to freedom and focus on God and His kingdom. You’ll be in a relationship with Jesus Christ. You’ll believe His promises. You’ll know that He has a place prepared for you. You’ll anticipate it and that leads to that sense of peace.

This kind of simplified life will not only affect you but your children, if you have any, and those people you have touched.  You may never know some of them.  The legacy of your simplified life will also affect the people touched by those you touched.  That’s how God has designed the way He blesses us. That will be the legacy of your simplified life.   

The Starting Place

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you have taken the first step in seeking first the Kingdom of God and simplifying your life.  If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus you need to establish that first.  That’s the first step in seeking the Kingdom of God.  Here’s what you need to do:

Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Pray this prayer in all sincerity.  It doesn’t matter where you are.  You may be at you desk on your computer, or somewhere on your laptop, you may be reading this on your smartphone, or your tablet.  It doesn’t matter just pray in all sincerity.   Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it, because if you do you will just be speaking words. But if you are tired of trying to change things in your own power, and are ready to turn your life over to the One who can make you a new creature with a renewed heart and mind pray;

“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”

If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then these promises of eternal life apply to you.  So do all the other promises that God has made to believers.  To find out what they are and how they apply to you find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers.  Welcome to the family of God my brother or sister.with

Have you ever felt like the relationships with your family, friends, colleagues at work, your church family, and yes even God, are falling apart and the more you do it seems to make it worse?  You seem to be going in different directions, and the rift is getting wider.  Trying to fix it creates more and more stress and anxiety.  You keep working at it but it’s like you’re stuck in quicksand.  Stop working so hard at it. Simplify and do it God’s way.

Forgive

Sometimes we think we can function without ever addressing and finding closure to a conflict.  Those conflicts may be with family, friend, or the people we work with everyday.  Refusal to deal with them saps energy from us and hangs over us like a dark cloud.   

This is from some of the research I did for this series;

I know a guy who, for whatever reason, has a pattern of broken relationships in his life. When a misunderstanding happens or someone is wounded, he makes little or no attempt to set things right. “It takes too much time and energy,” he says. “I just move on.” And he leaves a path of desolation in his wake.

If this guy were to tally the number of hours it has cost him over the years to avoid dealing with the relational wounds that have come his way (not to mention those he has dished out), he would find the opposite is true. It is much more time-efficient—and brings much greater peace of mind and satisfaction with life—to heal a relational rift rather than let it linger or avoid it altogether. We cannot live simplified lives without attending to broken relationships. - Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul by Bill Hybels

What’s the best way to deal with fractured relationship?  Forgiveness. To forgive is to stop feeling anger toward someone or about something, to pardon them.  

Why forgive? Because God, who is our example for how to forgive, does. He forgives and overlooks everything that we have done and do against Him, through Jesus, so that we can have eternal life and an eternal inheritance.

Micah 7:18 (NLT) 18  Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.

Forgiveness is an act of the will and since God commands us to forgive we must make that choice. We must forgive even if the person who offended us doesn’t ask for or doesn’t even want forgiveness.

Matthew 5:44-45 (NLT) 44  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 

• First of all, unforgiveness is like a self-inflicted wound.  It hurts you more than the person you won’t forgive.  I know you’ve heard this before, but it’s true, while you’re holding on to something that happened to you the other has probably forgotten about it.  They’ve gone on with their life and you’re still stuck in the past. The past is past, and it can’t hurt you unless you hold on to it.  
  
• Second, you’re not perfect either.  You probably need to be forgiven of something every day too.  
  
• Third, this should really be number one, God has forgiven you.  In fact He sent His Son Jesus to take the heat for you.  
  

Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) 14  “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
15  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) 32  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT) 21  Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22  “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

Jesus understood the cost of broken relationships.  As He hung dying on the cross, Jesus asked for forgiveness for the very people who accused, convicted and were killing Him.

Luke 23:34 (NLT) 34  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

When we experience the forgiveness of our own sins then we can call on the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to choose to forgive.  

Think about how a fractured relationship has complicated your life.  Now think about how forgiveness can simplify it.  

Here are the links to two posts I wrote that will help you in forgiving others.  What Does the Bible Say, Does Forgiving Mean Forgetting?, The Bible Says that Forgiveness is Mandatory

Strengthen The Right Relationships

Life is too rich with opportunity to walk it alone.

Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) 20  Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

What Solomon said is absolutely true. When we surround ourselves with foolish people, we become like them.  No matter how strong you are, people who are prideful, dishonest, mean-spirited, and divisive will influence you, and affect your spiritual growth.  In our relationships both good and bad rub off.  Just as the bad rubs off when we surround ourselves with proud, dishonest people, when we surround ourselves with wise, mature, people of integrity, their high character rubs off on us.

Real friends know, accept, love, serve, and celebrate one another. We often settle for friendships that don’t meet this standard. Our relationships require regular evaluation, and strengthening.  This sometimes requires pruning or cutting off some relationships.  

The apostle Paul gives us a list of the character traits we should look for when evaluating our relationships--people with the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) 22  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

Look for people who exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit.. Their character will rub off on you.  In order to identify people with the fruit of the Holy Spirit you need the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.  If you don’t have Him I’ll tell you how you can get Him later in this post.

When you evaluate your relationships ask yourself these questions.   What qualities do you most value in your friends and why? How does your current inner circle of friends reflect these qualities?

You’ll simplify your life when you evaluate and fine-tune your relationships. Prune wisely and with determination.  When you prune, as with a plant, this creates space for new growth in relational, spiritual, and emotional fruit.   

The Holy Spirit is Essential in Simplifying Your Life

Earlier in this post I wrote that the only way that you can forgive some things is through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I also wrote that the best relationships are those formed with people who exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  If you don’t have the Holy Spirit then you don’t have the power to forgive the most hurtful things, and you don’t have the fruit of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the gift of God that comes to dwell in you when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  

Romans 8:11 (NLT)  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Timothy 1:14 (NLT)  Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

The first relationship you need to establish is the one with Jesus.  If you want that relationship which will result in the Holy Spirit coming to live in, you here’s what you  need to do;

Romans 10:9 (NLT)  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Pray this prayer in all sincerity.  It doesn’t matter where you are.  You may be at you desk on your computer, or somewhere on your laptop, you may be reading this on your smartphone, or your tablet.  It doesn’t matter just pray in all sincerity.   Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it, because if you do you will just be speaking words. But if you are tired of trying to change things in your own power, and are ready to turn your life over to the One who can make you a new creature with a renewed heart and mind pray;

“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”

If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then these promises of eternal life apply to you.  So do all the other promises that God has made to believers.  To find out what they are and how they apply to you find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers.  Welcome to the family of God my brother or sister.

Have you ever felt like the more you do the more there is to do?  It seems as if the pile keeps getting higher rather than lower; the working hours get longer and longer although you’re working harder and harder?  All of us have probably been there and some of you may be there now.  You have gotten yourself on a treadmill and you’re running at an unrealistic and unsustainable pace. If you continue you will burnout, pass out, stress out, and probably become depressed.  How do you get off the treadmill?  The answer is to simplify your life by seeking first the kingdom of God.  Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Well it’s not.  This series of posts, “Simplify Your Life by Seeking First the Kingdom of God,” is as much for me as they are for you.    I justify overdoing it by saying, “after all I’m doing God’s work, work for the Kingdom”.  Notice I said “working for the Kingdom,” not “seeking the Kingdom.”

From Exhausted to Energized

Think about the times when you’re exhausted or completely drained and empty; during those times you have nothing else to give to anyone or anything..  What does that feel like?  My guess is that you feel resentment.  You resent something or someone.  Martha resented her sister Mary when Jesus was visiting their home.  Martha was busy being the perfect hostess making sure that everybody had everything that they needed, running around making sure that everybody was happy.  Mary, on the other hand was spending time listening to Jesus.  Martha was upset. 

Luke 10:38-40 (NKJV) 38  Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

To Martha it was like “Jesus, don’t you care that my sister isn’t helping me?  After all I’m trying to prepare for you and your disciples.”

How does Jesus respond? 

Luke 10:41-42 (NKJV) 41  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Instead of shaking your fist at the world and those around you because you have worked yourself into a lather or continuing to complain that you don’t have any help, maybe it’s time to sit and spend some time with God meditating on His word.  We all, me included, want to get it all done right now and if nobody is there to help us we become resentful, not realizing that we are the ones putting the pressure on ourselves to get it all done.  The answer may just be to let whatever it is you’re doing wait or even go undone until you spend some time in a quite undisturbed conversation with Jesus. 

Psalm 119:15 (NKJV)  I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) 28  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Think back to a time when your life was simpler.  You were rested, creative, playful, and prayerful.  It’s possible to recapture that time.

Stop Overscheduling and Organize

• ·         “I’m overscheduled.”
  
• ·         “I don’t have time.”
  
• ·         “I’m too busy.”
  

We say these things all the time often bragging.  We pack our schedules so tight that we don’t have any time to spare for God, although we say “we’re doing His work.”  It makes us feel important to be so busy and it often makes us oblivious to the damage it’s doing to our relationships with family and friends, and yes, even with God.  It can become unhealthy both physically and emotionally – the cost can be severe.

Your calendar can hold you hostage to stuff—meetings, appointments, projects, and keep you from more important things like your relationships with God, family and friends.  What would it look like to seek God’s Kingdom first in your life?

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

One way you can start is by redrafting your schedule and filling it up the way God would fill it if He were in charge of your time, your schedule, your calendar. If you put God first—if you start by plugging in the time slots on your calendar that determine who you want to become—and then fill in everything else around it, you’ll gradually become the kind of person you want to be.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT)  Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

From Overwhelmed to Content

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT) 11  Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Paul gives us the key to contentment.  It’s to live within God’s provision.  Yes, there may be some ups and downs; economic downturns, loss of a job, bad decisions by you or others, operating on your timing rather than on God’s.  God always provides but sometimes we have to make adjustments in order to stay content. 

When God increases someone else’s provision do you become envious or jealous?  Do you get mad at God and ask why not me?  Or are you able to congratulate them.  Tell them that you’re happy for them?  When you see others blessed can you say “I’m content with God’s provision for me?  You can only have peace when you learn to live a life of thanksgiving for God’s provisions for you.   Whether you’re in a season of plenty or in a season of lack, you can live with contentment and peace.

Matthew 6:31-32 (NKJV) 31  Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)  Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Fulfill Your Day

Every new day is an opportunity to either build yourself up or break yourself down.  Forget about yesterday and don’t worry about tomorrow because it will only add to the stress of today.

Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) 13  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV) 18  "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19  Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Matthew 6:34 (NKJV)  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Here’s a suggestion that I read about that works as you start your day;

We ask our Willow staff members to be culture builders. We ask them to spend at least fifteen minutes of “chair time” with God before they drive onto our campus. We ask them to be filled with the Holy Spirit and eager to display the fruit of the Spirit, so their interactions throughout the day will be a blessing to their teammates. I make the same challenge to you. No matter how healthy or dysfunctional your work culture is today, you can choose, by the power of Christ, to become a culture builder. You can be someone who blesses every person who crosses your path, from senior executives to entry-level workers.

Start each day committed to building yourself and others up.   What if all of your interactions with others built them up?  How much more fulfilled and stress free would your day be if everything that you did honored Christ. 

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Give It to God

A friend who is going through a very overwhelming time confided in me, even asking if she was losing it.  What she is going through would probably cause most of us, even those of us who consider ourselves people of great faith, to lose it.  I’ll end this post with some of what I said to her, as we seek first the kingdom of God in order to simplify our lives.  

“You are right we don't get to make the call between life and death. God has the final say. What we have control over is how we respond to His decision and His will.  We also have control over how we respond to those times of doubt. We must remember that God is bigger than anything we encounter. He is able to keep us. His ways are not ours.”

Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.

“We must release everything to Him. We can't keep anything.”

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)  Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

“That's hard and we can't do that within ourselves. We can only do it through the Holy Spirit. I'm praying that you can continue to stay strong.  That you really allow the Holy Spirit to hold you.  Let go and trust everything to God.”

1 Peter 5:10 (NKJV)   But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Simplicity is a gift of God.  A gift given so that we might see the value in seeking Him first in all things.

When I wrote and published  the fourth post in my series Spiritual Warfare - You’re in a Fight to the Death, it was about the times that Samson and you have hit rock bottom.  I thought that I was done with that series, but then a friend suggested that I meditate on “rock bottom”.  The suggestion was made that I really did need to follow-up with a fourth post.   I agreed, so here it is--what you do after you hit rock bottom in as you engage in the fight of your life.

In that last post I wrote that when you reach rock bottom you may feel like a failure.  You let pride and the desires of your flesh get the best of you over and over.  But even with all your failures God isn’t finished with you.    You may be at rock bottom, the bottom of the barrel, but that’s not the end. Remember, Samson’s hair grew back;

Judges 16:22 (NLT)  But before long, his hair began to grow back.

Your climb up from rock bottom may start with something else, but it will start.

Job 42:10 (NLT)  When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!  

The first step  up from rock bottom is to admit that you had been chasing something in life that didn’t fully satisfy you.  Even before you gave your life to Christ and became a believer you knew that there was something missing.  That something missing was God.  Now that you are His you are constantly reminded that only He can completely satisfy you.  If you have never given Christ your life, you may never be able to recover from being at rock bottom.  At the end of this post, I'll tell you haw top become His, so that you can effectively use God's spiritual weapons.. 

Once you admit that that there has to be more that just a great job, a great family, a big house, a big car, or lots of money, then you have turned the corner and are on the way back to God.  Your choices were to keep looking for that something that you were missing on your own, or you look to the One who gave you the desire in the first place.  

God intended that we experience His love.  What we long for, God doesn’t just have-- He is.

Romans 5:8 (NLT)  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

I Wish I Could Start Over

When you are at the bottom you wish you could have another chance--a “do over”.   Everything’s a mess.  You are full of regret and disappointment and you want another chance to get it right.  But you’ve mess up so many times that you don’t think that you deserve another chance.

It doesn’t matter.  No matter how many times you’ve failed God will always give you another chance.  

Psalm 86:15 (NLT)  But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Micah 7:18 (NLT)  Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.

However, starting over may not be from the point where you fell to rock bottom.  God may have other ideas.  His plans for you are for better than you can even imagine.  When you leave it up to Him you are able to leave the past behind.  

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)  For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God’s plans for you are to take away the pain of the past, revise the purpose in the present, and give you confidence about your future.  With this renewed confidence you can start to live the life that God has planned for you.  

Joel 2:25-26 (NLT)
  The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.26  Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced.

But you can’t do it by yourself.

I Can't Do This on My Own


You may have to get rid of some stuff in order to really experience the new chance that God has given you.  You may still be holding on to something.  It may be a habit or activity that nobody knows about.  If you hold on to the old then God may not put the new into your life.

You may need to call a trusted Christian friend or counselor and talk to them.  You may need to join a support group.  But don’t try to do it on your own.  

You need to confess whatever it is that you’re holding on to that’s keeping you at rock bottom.  When you confess God says that He will forgive you and cleanse you.  Confession is acknowledgement or admission, and agreement with God.  To confess is the first step in turning away from whatever is holding you back and turning to God whose plans for you are for good.   

1 John 1:9 (NLT)  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Confession doesn't mean feeling bad. Confession and repentance can really lead to being refreshed..

Acts 3:19-20 (NLT)  Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.20  Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

God Does Love You  

Now as you see things starting to turn in your favor be careful that you don’t start thinking that you don’t deserve God’s favor.   It is true that we don't but by His grace God has lifted you because He loves you.  

You have one set of feelings about yourself and God has another.  You look at your past filled with failure and disappointment.  He looks at you with love and compassion.  No, you don’t deserve another chance but God is giving it to you anyway.  

Romans 8:28-30 (NLT)  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.29  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30  And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Don’t let your past mistakes and failures define you.   You are not who or what your enemy, Satan, says that you are but you are who God says you are.  You are His child.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)  Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

That’s the message that God gave to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah and that’s what He’s saying to you today.  He loves you no matter what. 

A Man Who Hit Rock Bottom and Rebounded

I wrote about Samson and his rock bottom experience in my last post but here’s another story, which is in my opinion, a more extreme example of being at rock bottom and then rebounding.

You know the story of Jonah.  He disobeyed a direct order from God and ended up in the belly of a whale or great fish.  I would say that’s rock bottom.  

Here’s what Charles Swindoll says about Jonah’s experience.    

“Pitch black. Sloshing gastric juices wash over you, burning skin, eyes, throat, nostrils. Oxygen is scarce and each frantic gulp of air is saturated with salt water. The rancid smell of digested food causes you to throw up repeatedly until you only have dry heaves left. Everything you touch has the slimy feel of the mucous membrane that lines the stomach. You feel claustrophobic. With every turn and dive of the great fish, you slip and slide in the cesspool of digestive fluid. There are no footholds. No blankets to keep you warm from the cold, clammy depths of the sea. For three days and three nights you endure this harsh womb of grace.”

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures but shouts in our pain.”

Jonah is in pain and God is shouting. Jonah finally hears. He did what you should do.

He Remembered the Lord

Jonah 2:1-7 (NLT)1  Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish.2  He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!3  You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.4  Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’5  “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.6  I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!7  As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. (Emphasis mine).

When Jonah had almost given up hope he turned to God for help.  

He Renewed His Commitment

Jonah 2:9 (NLT) But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”

Jonah is expressing complete commitment to do God’s will because he knows that his salvation is a gift from God and no where else.  

He Received Forgiveness and Another Chance

Jonah 2:10-3:3 (NLT)10  Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. 1  Then the LORD spoke to Jonah a second time:2  “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”3  This time Jonah obeyed the LORD’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.  

This was Jonah’s second chance.  

From Here It’s Only Up

God wants you to live in confidence that he loves you.  When you really understand that you see endless possibilities to serve Him and others.  It means living a life that is better, bigger and more meaningful than ever before.  You don’t ever have to do it on your own.  If you find yourself looking for substitutes again, thinking you have all the answers . . . now you know what to do.  Give it to God.  When you give it to Him get prepared to experience more than you ever thought possible. You can have hope where there was once discouragement.  You can show others the way to your new found victory in spiritual warfare.  You are more than a conqueror.  

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NLT)17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.20  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”21  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.  

You Too Can Climb

If you are a Christian and a believer all of these things apply to you.  If you’re not then they don’t and you may never be able to climb up from rock bottom.  The key is having a relationship with God and the only way you can have that relationship is through His Son Jesus Christ.

If you want that relationship so that you can make that climb to the top,  here’s what you need do right now;

Romans 10:9 (NLT)  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Pray this prayer in all sincerity.  It doesn’t matter where you are.  You may be at you desk on your computer, or somewhere on your laptop, you may be reading this on your smartphone, or your tablet.  It doesn’t matter just pray in all sincerity.   Don’t just say it if you don’t really mean it, because if you do you will just be speaking words. But if you are tired of trying to change things in your own power, and are ready to turn your life over to the One who can make you a new creature with a renewed heart and mind pray;

“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”

If you truly understand and believe what you just prayed then these promises of eternal life apply to you.  So do all the other promises that God has made to believers.  To find out what they are and how they apply to you find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers.  Welcome to the family of God my brother or sister.