{"id":32447,"date":"2021-07-13T03:30:58","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T10:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=32447"},"modified":"2021-07-09T12:40:30","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T19:40:30","slug":"july-13-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/07\/13\/july-13-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"July 13, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cEven though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!\u201d <\/em>Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT<\/p>\n

Find Joy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Lord gives me a word around the beginning of each year, something He wants to teach me or remind me of. This year it\u2019s joy<\/strong>; more specifically, He wants me to find joy. To say that 2020 felt like a very barren year is an understatement. It was a year of avoidance and neglect. I avoided the Lord, I read my Bible off and on, talked to Him and occasionally listened, but not the deep and intimate time I\u2019m used to having with Him, sitting at His feet, simply listening and leaning into the sweet, intense love He has for me.<\/p>\n

I neglected every area of myself, and self-care was pretty non-existent. I\u2019ve worked from home since last March, so I didn\u2019t need to get dressed, change clothes or even brush my teeth or hair most days. I fell into the darkness of despair slowly. It wasn\u2019t a sudden thing, so I wasn\u2019t really even aware. The Lord had given me hints and nudges, and there were things going on physically that were irritating, but they didn\u2019t wake me up. My relationships were suffering\u2026but if I didn\u2019t have enough energy to take care of myself, how was I supposed to take care of others?<\/p>\n

When God gave me the word joy<\/strong>, I didn\u2019t jump up and down and thank Him\u2014it was more of a shrug and asking, \u201cHow do you want me to do that?\u201d I know how, have known all along how, and I chose not to, but He is so full of grace and mercy. I started listening to the Fruit of the Spirit<\/em> teaching series from LCC’s Men at the Cross, and the first three of them each had some version of John 15:4-8 in them. In the NKJV, the word abide<\/strong> shows up seven times in these five verses\u2014three times in verse 4 alone.<\/p>\n

How am I to find joy this year? I am to abide in Him. Verse 5 says, \u201cI am the vine, you <\/em>are<\/em> the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.\u201d<\/em> Now it is halfway through 2021, and I\u2019ve lost a loved one and am dealing with physical issues with two other loved ones.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m honestly incapable of finding joy on my own, but I have His Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and I know as God calls me to abide in Him, He will help me find joy regardless of the circumstances.<\/p>\n

Father God, thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You that even though\u2026(fill in the blank)\u2026we can still find joy in You. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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