Christian Books – Enjoy The Journey
Whether you are commuting to church, work, school, a friend’s home, the grocery store, the bank, the gym to work out, the movies, a restaurant for dinner, an amusement park, or going on vacation or host of other things you are on a journey. A journey is an act or instance of traveling from one place to another. Christian Books – Enjoy The Journey. http://www.miraclebook.net
In the same way that we have an earthly journey we have a spiritual journey as well. We are traveling day by day until we are called home to our maker. A spiritual journey just like an earthly journey is made up of choices. However, because God placed us all here with a purpose and have given us all gifts and talents that we are to use to glorify his kingdom if we start to go astray, he will rearrange our choices and implement the correct ones so we will stay on the course he designed for us before he formed us in our mother’s womb. Christian Books – Enjoy The Journey. http://www.miraclebook.net
It is equally important that we enjoy the journey as well as the destination. All of us want to be successful and thrive in life but we must remember that when we plant a seed for flowers, or fruits, or vegetables, or whatever there is a journey that the seed must go through before it becomes all it is meant to be. There will be peaks and valleys, straight roads and curved roads, mountains and flat terrain, in essence joys and sadness, but all of that is necessary so you can become the person you are meant to be just like the seed. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diver’s temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. – James 1:1-8. If you don’t quite understand what that means let me simplify it for you – to everything there is a season, and an appointed time and God is the one who determines that time so don’t get frustrated just enjoy the journey. You will get to where you are meant to be if you don’t give up. So, what should we do while on our journey? I love to work with acronyms so let’s take a look. Christian Books – Enjoy The Journey
J = Joy. Well, we don’t have to go back far because just a few sentences ago in James 1:1 it said to count it all joy when ye fall into diver’s temptations. Trials are just a test that we must pass so God will bless us with what we’re asking for. Just like a small child has a Christmas list for Santa we as adults have an everyday Christmas list for God. We want, and want, and want some more. Well, the same way a parent is not going to give their car to a six-year-old to drive because they know the child is not capable of handling the vehicle is the same way God is not going to give us what we want unless we are prepared to handle what goes along with it. Just because you don’t receive what you are asking for in the time frame that you want it doesn’t mean it won’t happen so keep your joy always.
O = Observant. It is very important that you are observant while on your journey because sometimes tests actually get repeated. There is a story called The Potter’s Wheel – The Teacup by an unknown author who spoke about how this potter who owned an antique shop and a couple came inside to look because they liked antiques and saw this beautiful teacup unlike anything they had ever seen and asked the potter if they could see it. He handed it to them and walked away and they marveled about how beautiful the teacup was. At the exact moment the teacup spoke to them and said it was not always a teacup. The teacup explained how it had been placed by the potter on this wheel being spun back and forth and then how it was placed in this oven to be refined and every time it screamed to get out the potter opened the oven and checked on it and placed it back in saying it wasn’t ready yet. This is how God is with us. However, with the testing we endure we need to make sure that if we failed a test previously because of a lack of patience or something else we must be observant when that test comes back and make the right choice so we will move forward and not have to keep repeating it and going around and around. As a child there was a song kids would sing called “Here we go round the Mulberry Bush.” Several kids would join hands in a circle and skip around a tree or bush and sing as they went around. We must be careful and observant not to repeat our mistakes just like the children of Israel did why it took them 40 years to get to the promise land instead of 11 days.
U = Unique. When something is unique it is distinctively characteristic. This is the way you must see yourself. You are God’s masterpiece and when he created you, he broke the mold. Just like you hear fingerprint experts say that no one has the same set of fingerprints that is true because each one of us is unique in our own way. God designed us that way and so the gifts and talents that he gave to you are specific to you and what he wants you to accomplish in life so don’t compare yourself to others because what you can do easily maybe a huge chore for someone else.
R = Rest. The same way that you hear health experts say you should get at least eight hours of sleep per night so your body can function properly and replenish itself is exactly what God did when he created the earth. He worked six days and then rested on the seventh. We also must rest. Sometimes we keep ourselves so busy that we are spinning out of control. Trust God and allow him to take the reigns of your life and you will see things will run more smoothly. When we allow God to have the lead role and be our pilot things work out better. Since the dawn of time and the creation of the earth God gave us choices and he has always been a gentleman where he will not invoke his power on us. If we insist of being in control, he will allow us to do that and just take a back seat and wait until we are completely worn out and spent and cry out for his help and then he will step back in. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7. Rest and let God do the work.
N = New. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23. The Bible says that we all fall short of the glory of God, but this above verse let’s us know that no matter what his mercy and compassion for us fail not. Each day that God provides the breath of life in your body is a new day to be grateful and go forward asking him to guide and direct your steps. Pray Lord thank you for your favor in everything you do. Every day is a new day with a new opportunity to do better while we are on this journey. For the entire six days that it took God to create the earth everyday he improved and did better. This is what he expects of us and if we will remove the stress and take off the pressure it will allow us to greatly improve with each new day. Each day is a gift, and we need to choose wisely to do better than what we did yesterday. Don’t say it’s too hard because the Bible says you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.
E = Expectant. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” – Jeremiah 29:11. God is clearly telling you here that he is not thinking evil thoughts about you and wants to give you peace and an expected end so if God is thinking and saying that why are you saying the opposite? You must be expecting the best every day. Miracles can happen at any moment but if you are thinking that nothing good ever happens to me that is exactly what will keep happening. The book of Job in the Bible talks about a righteous man who lost everything, but God let him know, “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” – Job 8:7. Don’t think my time has passed it is too late for me to have anything good happen to me always have an expectant attitude.
Y = Yes. Yes – used as a function word to express assent or agreement. Do you know what the most powerful word in the English language is? It is the word YES. A lot of people believe that NO is the most powerful word but that would be wrong. The word NO shows closed-mindedness and fear but, the word YES shows true strength and courage. The word YES signals interest and respect. When you say the word YES you look at what is presented to you and simply look at the problem in front of you in a fresh way. The word YES is a positive affirmation. It reflects in your body language and makes you feel valued. The word YES stretches you, challenges, energizes, creates safety and trust, and fuels creativity. There are many people in the bible that knew the power of the word YES. God used everyday people who said yes to him in the Bible. Noah said yes when God asked him to build an ark. Abraham said yes when God asked him to sacrifice his only son. However, God spared his life. Moses said yes when God told him to ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Mary said yes when the angel asked her to carry Jesus, the only Son of God. The disciples said yes when Jesus asked them to leave everything behind and follow Him. Paul, who once persecuted Christians as Saul, said yes when God asked him to deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. These people were not extraordinary people with great fortitude and toughness. They were normal people who tolerated, wrestled, and wept but still said yes to God and His will. The biggest one of all is Jesus who said YES to being crucified on the cross. What was his reward? He now sits on the throne on the right side of the Father. Try it for yourself say YES to God and see how much smoother your journey will be. Christian Books – Enjoy The Journey.
