The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

Stien – 25.1.21 –

Sometimes you have a life verse; sometimes you are given verses for a time, or for a situation. When there’s a challenge, it’s great to remember, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”¹ It is great to be armed with the sword of the Spirit. We’re putting on the whole armour. Sometimes I can’t do without it. Every day at the moment is that sort of time, and I’m enjoying that. I can’t be on top of all of this. No one can. But there’s hope.

Last week, I was standing at the kitchen sink at the end of the longest day (not a favourite place) and I suddenly felt the ridiculous weight of everything. You know, everything that everyone else is going through. For me, at the moment, that looks like teaching online full time, whilst homeschooling four, renovating and moving house and usually facing several other commitments, post the delight of Christmas covid, which I am finding is lingering. Many people have it much much worse, both the virus and their situations, but I was at the end. I was done. I just said to Jesus, “I can’t do this.” It wasn’t even a prayer. I was too tired. I don’t even know what I thought my options were. I was only telling him ‘the truth’. He immediately reminded me, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”² I started breathing more easily and I’m still here. Doing things (with his strength). I didn’t think that was possible last week.

Well, at the moment, I am being reminded of a triad of verses. To me they are always linked. These three beauties: “The joy of the Lord is your strength”³, “in your presence is fullness of joy”⁴, “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength”⁵. I feel like a little kitchen dancing after thinking about these. I don’t know why kitchen dancing is so good, but try it.

I am feeling weak, exhausted, beleaguered, broken. I am not the only one and what I’m struggling with are just passing things, so bear with me if you’ve got real tragedy that you’re facing. But I know the relief that there is something to do about it. We are never stuck without a way out. There is never a brick wall with Jesus. He always makes a way: over, round or through. In my low moment, I just said how I was feeling, I just spoke to him and he spoke back. It wasn’t complicated. Get into his presence – just be with him, spend time waiting for him, talking to him, listening to him, and you are going to find new strength, and fullness of joy and that joy is going to strengthen you. 

¹ Romans 8:37 ESV, ² Philippians 4:13 ESV, ³ Nehemiah 8:10 ESV, ⁴ Psalm 16:11 ESV, ⁵ Isaiah 40:31 ESV