Life can squeeze out your joy. Like an exhausted slice of lime or lemon, there is nothing left. You have flavored the life of others by giving to them, but now nothing remains for you. Your joy is gone. You need a revival of joy. Maybe you are battling health issues or financial woes. The pressure has gotten the best of you. Like the crushing of grapes in the preparation of wine, your juices of joy have been depleted. The only remains are dried and parched skins. You are tapped out. You are in desperate need of a jolt of joy.

You need joy to bridge you from your position of burnout back to your role as joy giver. Isn’t it ironic that we can fall victim to the very thing we see as a deficiency in others? No one is immune to slipping into a joyless life. In fact there will be seasons that joy will elude us like water in the desert. We need a new infusion of joy. The revival of joy is ongoing. You can only run so long, and then you must stop and refill your joy tanks.

You can remember when work brought you joy, but now you are maintaining at best. Marriage was bliss in the past—-full of joy—-but now you just coexist. Your relationship with God once erupted with joy, but now it is stale and distant. A revival of joy refills you on all these fronts. Revival assumes that joy once existed. Joy reigned over many aspects of your life, but certainly the joy of your salvation was once preeminent. To revive something means you bring it back into existence, back to life. So the best place to start the revival of anything is with God.

God specializes in resurrecting and reviving. He can take what is dead or dormant and breathe life into it. The breath of God gives joy. God’s breath is not stale or repugnant. On the contrary, His breath is fresh and rejuvenating. Like an asthmatic gasping for air, we struggle in need of God’s oxygen. Life’s struggles wear us down to a pulp. We need the breath of God to revive our joy. But, you may need to alter your proximity to benefit from the breath of God. His breath is most effective up close and personal.

Like an inhaler, you need God daily in your face to transmit His joy. The joy of the Lord is not captured from a distance. It is inhaled and ingested from a position of intimacy. Do not let your joylessness leave you incoherent. God wants to clear your heart and mind. Joy is on the way, like the arrival of the cavalry in the heat of the battle. Let God rescue you, revive you, and set you back on a joy-filled journey. You are not defeated in Christ. The enemy is the loser. He is the joy killer, but his advances are temporary. Allow God to resuscitate your joy. The world won’t. Work can’t. People fail. And money is an illusion of joy.

So, go to the creator, dispenser and sustainer of joy. Lean on the one full of joy, Jesus. He will bring your joy back to life as He was brought back to life—-full and robust. Let Him make your joy complete. His joy is your strength. Some things never change and His joy is one of them. Start by simply thinking back on when you exchanged self for a savior. You opened the door to your life and Jesus entered with a housewarming gift. It was a beautiful basket full of joy. Relive that experience and reengage with Him. His joy is not jaded—-it is just right. Your joy will rub off on others, and the revival of rejoicing in God will extend from one person to another. Be joyful in Jesus, because He is the reason!

Taken from Dose 66 in the 90-day devotional book Infusion.

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Good examples are rare but rewarding. Some are hard to find because they are discreet and busy about doing the right things. Though good examples are few and far between, they can be found. They can be found in matriarchs and patriarchs. They can be found in new believers and old believers. They can be found at work, on the golf course, in the boardroom, at a Bible study or in church.

Good examples can be found, but it is important that you pray and go to school on them. Pray to God for good examples to cross your path; then you will have the privilege of watching them “up close and personal” or from a distance. Regardless of their proximity, it is wise to learn from their lives.

You can learn a ton just by looking. Look for how they invest their time and money. Look for the way they love God and respect their spouse. Look for their intentionality in loving non-Christians. Be a character watcher. Watch their patience and forgiveness in the middle of a firestorm of criticism and adversity. Watch for the confession of their sin and shortcomings with a heart toward repentance. Watch them fear God and serve people. As you watch, there is a good chance you will become like them. You are tremendously influenced by what you watch. Watch good examples.

Moreover, read their writings. Understand their thinking and question their habits. Find out what they do and why they do it. Once you discover their “best practices” for living, begin to incorporate them into your life. Of course, integrate these disciplines only as you are ready and it is appropriate. Be yourself, while you learn from someone else. You are still sold out to Christ first, so only follow the good example of one who follows Him. You are not in a fan club for man. Instead, you have a lifetime membership in Christ’s Kingdom.

Jesus is your best example. However, relating to Jesus is sometimes hard, because He was without sin. Yet, He is the standard. If you are in doubt about a behavior or attitude, emulate Jesus. Jesus will never let you down or lead you astray. The saintly characters of the Bible are good examples to follow as well. Abraham’s faith is compelling. The boldness of Moses gives courage. Joseph’s integrity is inviting. His forgiveness is refreshing. David’s brokenness is pure and holds eternal consequences.

Esther’s loyalty is inspiring. Solomon’s wisdom is life changing. Hannah’s trust is without compromise. Jonah’s zeal is challenging. Elijah’s dependence on God is a faith builder. Job’s perseverance is rewarding. Jeremiah’s compassion is humbling. Isaiah’s eloquence is heavenly. The Minor Prophets reveal a major need to fear God. The Psalms of David comfort. Jesus is Jesus. Paul perseveres. Peter preaches. Luke writes. John loves. Zacchaeus reaches out to sinners. Mark didn’t give up. These are all good examples.

Indeed, there are other modern-day good examples. There is Billy Graham’s integrity, Mother Teresa’s service to the poorest of the poor and John Paul’s leadership. Be inspired by good examples. Be encouraged by good examples. Be taught by good examples. Be motivated by good examples. Be set free by good examples. Be a good example. But, make Jesus your best example!

Taken from Dose 62 in the 90-day devotional book, Infusion.

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Everyone needs a place to rest, a time to rejuvenate and restore your soul. A soul without rest is vulnerable to doubt, disease, and dread. Without soul care, you risk being ineffective for the long term. So, allow your soul to catch up with your activity through rest. A restless soul loses hope and perspective.

Stop right now and take an audit of your soul. Is it strung out and anxious? If so, rearrange your schedule for rest before it rearranges you. A non-restful pace is unsustainable, and a restful place is necessary to persevere. Do not fall for the false feeling that activity somehow equals progress or success. Without rest, you are going nowhere fast. If you intensify the pace, you are going nowhere, faster.

Rest allows you to recalibrate your priorities and replenish your cistern of creativity. Your work rhythms may require a day with no scheduled appointments. Indeed, each resting place looks different, depending on your need. For example, your resting place may be the quiet screened porch, where you relax with a cup of coffee and a good book.

For someone else, a resting place may be a comfortable couch, where they nap to the steady beat of raindrops pelting the rooftop. It can be the park where you walk with your best friend, a secluded drive in the countryside, or an adventurous exploration of the great Pacific Northwest. Whether your resting place is the beach, the mountains, or in front of a good movie, make time to engage with it. God speaks to you in your place of rest. This is one of His favorite spots to shape your soul.

Furthermore, your resting place allows you to resist temptation. Fatigue causes you to stumble and fall through life. If you are working through exhaustion, you may be missing God. A lethargic life struggles to listen to the Lord, and a heart worn down from weariness has a hard time hearing His voice. A depleted spirit is not primed for discernment, and decision-making during duress can be dreadful.

Therefore, go away to a resting place. Find God and find yourself under the canopy of His creation. A resting place is your protection from yourself, from evil influences, and from lost perspective. Above all else, your resting place reveals God in a refreshing way. His program takes on a new priority in His place of rest. Your confidence is resurrected. Your trust takes on a new level of intensity. Your patience leads to a deeper understanding of what it means to wait on the Lord.

A resting place is for your sake and His. It is necessary to experience God’s very best for you and your family. Discover your resting place in prayer, and go there often. Repentance follows rest, and robust relationships result from rest. Your best and most creative ideas emerge from relaxed meditation on your Master. Wisdom resides in rest.

Taken from the July 17th reading in the 365-day devotional book, Seeking Daily the Heart of God.

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We do not own our lives. We have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). Jesus’ sacrificial blood purchased our freedom from the fire of hell, sin, and death. By faith, He owns us. A great exchange took place when you first believed in Jesus. What’s yours became His, and what’s His became yours. The life of Christ became your life. It is not your life to define, but His. He has wrapped a wonderful definition around whose you are in Him. You are a child of God. You are secure because your Savior keeps you. You are valuable because the Lord values you.

You are protected because the Almighty owns you. The Bible is God’s glossary of how to define yourself. Scripture gives you a family tree of faith for you to trace your religious roots. It is a mirror of how God sees you. He sees you as accepted in His Son, though you suffer rejection from others. Cherish and enjoy daily the acceptance of Jesus. Moreover, your mistakes are His opportunity to affirm His acceptance. There are still consequences to your sin, but He is always available to receive you back because you are His. He accepts and receives back His own.

Furthermore, He directs His own (Isaiah 48:17). God wants you to understand and follow His plan for your life. Praise God it’s a step-by-step process and He directs your steps! Some days you may feel like it’s three steps forward and two steps back, but do not be discouraged or dismayed. God is still directing your steps, though at times they seem tedious and laborious. The Lord leads you in lockstep with His steps. In His steps is the wise way to walk. Do not run ahead, thinking you have to set a record for speed or quickness.

In fact, fast steps may cause you to backtrack and relearn what God was trying to teach you. Walk patiently with Him, and watch Him work. The Holy Spirit is your step director. You are in His step class for instruction in His word and exercise in faith. Learn how to let the Lord direct your steps. Prayerfully listen to the quiet prompting from His spirit. Stop when you need to stop. Speed up when you need to speed up. Slow down when you need to slow down. God directs the steps of a submitted and surrendered man or woman.

Stubbornness is hard to direct (Psalm 81:12). Pride resists direction, and independence attempts to self-direct. Listen to your spouse or close friend. God may speak His next steps through them. Self-direction is like traveling alone to a new destination without a map or an orientation to your surroundings. It is futile and frustrating. It leads to fatalistic thinking. God-directed steps, on the contrary, are a pathway to peace.

You can rest in His far-reaching perspective and other-worldly wisdom. He gives divine directions that determine His will for your life. Step by step He leads you. You can trust that His way is the best way. Be patient. Watch Him work in spite of adversity and a lack of resources. Avoid a two-step with yourself, and stay in step with your Savior. Allow your Maker to define your moves. Walking with the Lord is the wisest way to go, so resist directing your own steps. Trust in your walk with Him, and allow His direction to define your steps.

Taken from the July 10th reading in the 365-day devotional, Seeking Daily the Heart of God.

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Worry is wearisome. It is fatigue to our emotions like physical pain is to our bodies. Worry can trigger stomachaches, high blood pressure, headaches, anxiety disorders and depression. It is an enemy to executing a joy filled and productive life. Worry can so weigh you down that you are immobilized for lack of energy and because of fear.

Your family tree may have borne the fruit of worry over generations, but you can purge out obsession with negative thinking through trust in the Lord. Jesus’ teaching is very clear, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).

Exercised trust energizes the weary.

 Your personality may lend itself to worry. You can see it in your furrowed brow, or in your brooding countenance. You worry about the economy and its effect on your retirement. You wring your hands over the war and wonder when it will ever end. You are stressed out over work, because of situations and people you are unable to change. Anxiety may have paralyzed you as a parent, because you don’t feel qualified to carry out your responsibilities.

Alcohol has become your outlet for those things that you cannot control, but the gnawing fear is still there the next day. One simple solution is to make a two-column prayer list with the headings ‘Things I can’t change’ and ‘Things I can change’. Ask God for faith and patience with the former and wisdom and courage to act on the later. Prayer is your time-tested prescription for worry:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).”

Furthermore, look for those who long to be encouraged, who feel trapped by the anxieties of life (Luke 21:34). They need the truth of God’s word, because the cares of this world try to marginalize the truth. Truth can be forgotten in the fearful suffering of severe trials. Your kind words remind them of Christ’s care and concern for their health, their family and their faith.

Lift yourself and others out of the downward spiral of depression by cheering them up with truth. Read the Bible out loud with a friend and meditate on its promises that are filled with hope and encouragement. Use uncertainty as a reason not to worry, but rest in the Lord. You are freed up when you don’t fret, but apply faith instead. Above all else, His word wins over worry and gives strength for your faith journey!

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

What promise from the Lord can I rest in and trust to overcome my chronic worry?

Related Readings: Luke 1:37; 5:1; 11:28; Acts 13:7; Ephesians 6:17

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There is a non-verbal language of love that is communicated through compassionate tears. Empathy engages the heart at levels that verbal exchanges may not be able to penetrate. It is when emotion responds to emotion that a grieving soul senses they are cared for and understood. Tears quietly give the aura that I feel your pain—I hurt because you hurt.

Comfort is the first step in seeking to serve another’s pain. Refrain from truth telling until the heart receives proper care. Fear and anger have to be flushed from a hurting heart, before facts can be appropriately applied and comprehended. It’s from a context of love and acceptance that people trust and receive. Tears become a conduit for Christ’s care.

“This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you” (2 Kings 20:5b).

We mourn with those who mourn, so they are not alone. Desperation feeds at the table of aloneness, but security and peace preoccupy the person comforted by a community. It starts with a patient spouse or friend and spills over to sincere souls who believe in Jesus to bring wholeness and healing. Tears shed in love terminate isolation and invite intimacy.

Does your husband, wife or child need a response of compassion, rather than a reaction of passion? Does your team at work need you first to listen and understand, instead of feeling an automatic demand for your agenda? Yes, truth sets free—but the mind comprehends, after the heart has been heard. Tears prepare the way for truth’s arrival.

“I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter” (Ecclesiastes 4:1b).

How is your heart? Do you have a safe environment to lay bare your soul? Self-reliance and self-condemnation are obstacles to intimacy with your heavenly Father and with those who love you the most. Dismiss driven discipline—instead practice vulnerable dependency. Replace shame with security in your Savior, and trusting transparency with a caring community. Your tears open your heart to emotional and spiritual healing. Free your soul to speak with moist eyes to your master Jesus—as He lovingly weeps with you.

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7).

Who can I weep with and comfort in Christ? What in my heart needs healing comfort?

Related Readings: Job 16:20; Psalm 126:5; Acts 20:19; 2 Timothy 1:4

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God made His children to need reassuring words like: I love you—I am here for you—I am committed to you no matter what—I am extremely grateful for you—You are beautiful—I admire you—Your work is outstanding—You are a special friend—We will not go into debt—We will thoroughly pray before any major decision—God is with you.

Reassuring words ratchet up the value of a relationship, as it is not enough just to think or feel committed, but verbalized care creates confidence and security. Ambiguity feeds insecure illusions and false fantasies. Pride thinks it can keep quiet and somehow communicate care, while humility can’t help but speak words of comfort and affection.

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).

Moreover, see your speech as a mouthpiece for God. He calls His children to be conduits of good conversations on behalf of Christ. What the Lord thinks about your spouse or work associate is the starting point for discussions. It’s not always about your agenda; instead reassure them of their goals and aspirations. Reassurance brings emotional rest.

Fear motivated behavior normally lacks assurance. The fearful need to know that they are heard and are not alone in their concerns. They feel loved, because they hear genuine words back from a friend that communicates that they understand. Conversing with care must precede the pronouncement of truth—indeed this leads to constructive conversation.

“One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend” (Proverbs 22:11).

Most of all hear the reassuring words of your heavenly Father. He loves and adores you—He values you as the pinnacle of His creation—You are forgiven and precious to Him—Christ is your biggest cheerleader—He says, “I will never leave you or forsake you”—You are His friend, His servant, His child and a trophy of His grace. Listen to the Lord’s loving words to you and by faith, you will receive His righteous reassurance.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

What words of assurance can I speak to my spouse, friends and those I serve at work?

Related Readings: 1 Samuel 17:18; Esther 9:30; Acts 20:2; Hebrews 10:22

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A life sustained by the Lord is secure and at peace. Fear is foreign to a faith filled focus on Jesus that flows from a humble heart. Humility positions a person for provision from the Almighty, while pride invites exclusion from eternal resources. True sustainability stresses humble submission to God. It looks for the Lord’s leadership.

A self-sustainable existence is an illusion from the enemy. He makes us think we are in control and there is no need to call on Christ. But isn’t it the pinnacle of pride to think I can sustain myself without my Savior Jesus? A Savior is not needed for someone who thinks they are self-sustainable. But He guides the humble into what’s right and real.

“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25:9).

Humility is a prerequisite for people who desire to be guided by God. He searches for servants of His whose humility invites His intercourse into their activities. It may mean what I thought was the right relationship, career path or financial plan—was not the Lord’s will. He clarifies, corrects and confirms for His children. He sustains those who remain students of what’s wise—and when wrong, they change before it creates a crisis.

God’s track record of sustainability can be trusted. He sustains you during the sickness of your spouse. He sustains you in the middle of conflict and misunderstandings. He sustains your character in the aftermath of great accomplishments. He sustains your business and ministry by His grace. He sustains your faith when it comes under fire.

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22).

Do not let the uncertainty of your financial future shake your confidence in Christ. He will renew your faith and He will not forsake you in your old age. Humility doesn’t take on the mantle of self-sustainability; rather it’s honored to rely on its heavenly Father. His sustainability isn’t shaken. You can rest secure in the sustaining arms of your Savior Jesus!

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4).

How can I trust my life with the Holy Spirit’s sustainability and not my own?

Related Readings: Job 36:18-19; Psalm 41:3; 147:6; Hebrews 1:3

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Failure is not final for the faithful—it is a stepping-stone to success. The sense of failure is an opportunity for faith to flourish and for pride to be humbled. An extreme letdown allows the Lord to lift up the down hearted and hold them close to comfort. Failure facilitates a crystal clear focus on God and His game plan. It is a bridge to blessing.

Have you failed to be a good provider? Communicate caringly? Follow through with your commitments? Find a job? Love well? Become a consistent Christian? If so, join the club of everyone that breathes. We all struggle from time to time with unholy habits that drag us down and try to keep us down. But, by God’s grace, we will stand up, firm in Him.

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today” (Exodus 14:13a).

A faith untested is only fragile and weak, but a faith forged out of failure is stable and strong. God’s goal is not for you to do away with discomfort and remove all remnants of risk. His heart is to have the heart of His children—for without their heart—He only employs their mind. Your set backs set you up for intimacy with your heavenly Father.

A challenging relationship or a botched business deal are opportunities to move your religion from sterile academics to an engaging relationship with your Creator. You can go through a religious routine and say the right words—but are you truly alive to the Lord? Use failure as a diving board into the deep waters of faith—connect with Christ’s care.

“The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous” (Psalm 146:8b).

Furthermore, avoid self-pity and a victim mindset when you fail to meet the expectations of the Lord and those who know you the best. Embrace your responsibilities; express godly sorrow and vow to learn from your humbling—even embarrassing experience. Perhaps you commit to a process of biblical counseling for your marriage or pre-marriage preparation. Overcoming adversity takes time, trust and tenacity—success invests in each.

“When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God” (Proverbs 14:32).

From what failure do I need to recognize, repent, take responsibility and learn?

Related Readings: Proverbs 11:8; 28; Isaiah 45:8; Luke 18:9; 1 John 5:4

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Success as God defines success is stressful. It is not a passive process to deny self, bear a cross for Christ and follow Him. There is a weight of responsibility that comes with those who wholeheartedly follow Jesus. The resume of a disciple is full of stressful experiences that engage the Lord’s faithfulness. Success brings stress, but God provides rest.

Furthermore, it’s out of these seeds of stress that the Lord grows His kingdom. Hearts are made whole, marriages mature, children are parented with truth and grace, the hungry are fed, jobs are completed, giving is generous, churches are planted, the lost are saved and God is glorified. Without stress there would be no babies born, buildings built or battles fought. God’s will is not stress free living—but faithful living—as we learn to rest in Him.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10).

It’s when stress becomes distress that we have transitioned to distrust in the Lord. Distress feels like you have lost control and then you react out of false fears. Tension is good, because it keeps us trusting Jesus, but distress throws us into a frantic frame of mind. We lose our bearings of belief and make unwise, even irrational decisions. We are miserable and we make those around us miserable. However, distress is deflated when faith is inflated.

So, are you happy in your success? Are you able to enjoy what you have worked for all these years? If not, take an audit of your motives. Are you driven to control and hang on, or are you free to give over control to Christ and to give freely by faith? Distress follows distrust, because the context of control depends on you. God did not make you to handle that degree of pressure. Like a soda can in a freezer, you explode under a hardened heart.

Therefore, in the middle of your success—give up your life to the Lord—and you will find it. A life worth living accepts stress, but rejects distress. Use stress as an indicator to slow down and rest. Like a red light on the dashboard of your automobile, see stress as a warning to maintain your soul care. Success accepts stress as an indicator for intimacy.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Hebrews 10:36).

Am I trusting God in my stress or has my distrust created distress?

Related Readings: Job 1:10; Psalm 40:4; James 5:11; Revelation 2:3

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