Bloom where planted

Sometimes the place where you find yourself is not where you want to be but if God has led you there, then that place must be fertile ground for God’s work in you to thrive.

A heart to know God

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord . They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jer. 24:7 NIVUK http://bible.com/113/jer.24.7.NIVUK

Joy

‘Surprised by joy’ is how C.S. Lewis described his conversion from atheism to faith in Jesus Christ. He had never expected that there was any connection between God and joy. If anything, he had thought it would be the opposite: ‘For all I knew, the total rejection of what I called Joy might be one of the demands.’ Convinced that it was true, Lewis ‘admitted that God was God’. At that moment, he was ‘the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England’. To his great surprise he found that following Jesus was the very opposite to what he expected. He experienced great joy through his new-found faith. He discovered that ‘the heart of reality’ is to be found in a Person. He was surprised by joy. Many people confuse pleasure, contentment and joy. ‘Pleasure’ can come from a good holiday, a pay rise or a box of chocolates. People can become pleasure addicts – always seeking the next fix. But these experiences of pleasure come and go. ‘Contentment’ is longer term – being satisfied with your life, your home, your job and your relationships. But there is another kind of happiness that we call ‘joy’. It is not a fleeting emotion, but a deep way of being – a state of mind that is available to everybody. It is not found in things, but in a Person. 

Those who trust

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’ Jer. 17:8 NIVUK http://bible.com/113/jer.17.8.NIVUK

Trust

‘Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.’ Trust is being able to let go and give oneself, or a situation, over to God, without holding back. It is a child in a parent’s arms, never doubting for a moment that they are safe.

Worst of times can be the best of times

Rick Warren points out that, ‘In the 1930s [recession] there were two things that increased: theatre attendance and church attendance. People were looking for escapism and they were looking for meaning. The economy is very tough right now. This really is a good thing. This is the time for us to expand and push out, not for us to retreat.’ The worst of times can be the best of times.

Serve God now

Rather than looking to the future when you might be in a better situation in which to serve God, focus on how you can serve God in the present, whatever the situation.