At the Feet of Jesus by Joanna Weaver – Day 2
Do not be afraid or discouraged…for there is a greater power with us than with him. 2 Chronicles 32:7
We all get sidetracked by distraction, dipping down now and then into discouragement and doubt. The secret is not to stay there. Here are several ways you can beat the downward spiral of the Deadly Ds in your life.
• Allow for rest stops. Discouragement is often our body’s way of saying, “Stop! I need rest.” Try taking a nap or getting to bed a little earlier. It’s amazing how different things will look in the light of morning (Exodus 34:21).
• Get a new point of view. Take a few steps back and ask God to help you see His perspective on your situation. Often what seems to be an impassable mountain in our eyes is only a steppingstone in His (Isaiah 33:17).
• Have patience. It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go the way you planned. But if you’ve committed your concerns to the Lord, you can be sure He is at work, even when you don’t see His hand (Romans 8:28).
• Mingle. Discouragement feeds off isolation. Get out of the house! Go visit some friends. It’s amazing how good old-fashioned fellowship can lift our spirits and chase away the blues (Psalm 133:1).
• Set the timer. Okay. So things aren’t so good. I’ve found it helpful to set the oven timer and allow ten minutes for a good cry. But when the buzzer sounds, I blow my nose, wipe my eyes, and surrender my situation to the Lord so I can move on (Ecclesiastes 3:4).
—Having a Mary Heart
Read & Reflect: Read each of the verses mentioned above. Which one do you need most today?
Excerpted from At the Feet of Jesus by Joanna Weaver. Copyright © 2012 by Joanna Weaver. Excerpted by permission of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
