Monday encouragement: fresh hope

I went through a period of time, where I would wake up, and before my eyes were even opened, I dreaded the new day.

Usually, because my mind was still stuck on the previous day, or a past circumstance. Or sometimes, it was because my mind had already jumped ahead to the future. And so there I would be, alive and awake, with air in my lungs, and a brand new day, a clean slate, a blank canvas, all gifted to me, for no other reason than the fact that God willed it.

And I could see none of it.

I was awake, yet still, so very much sleeping.

Yesterday's stress, and tomorrow's worry, steal our joy and kill our hope. They rob us completely of our right now, the fresh hope there for the taking, forcing us to run away from God, keeping us from turning towards his light. Ancient Christian writers call this the "morning demon", further assuring me that when I talk about this daily battle we are all in, that I am not speaking out of dramatic insanity, but rather, of absolute truth.

It is hard enough to fight the negativity, fight the complaining, fight the stress, fight the pushback we feel on all sides, when we are wide awake. But when our eyes have yet to open? When we are still under covers, and we hear the rain on the roof, and already, our minds have been flooded with worry and fear? How on earth do we fight that?

Sweet Sisters, the answer is prayer.

Straight up thanks be to the Lord.

With eyes still closed, with sheets still pulled up to our chins, we need to battle this morning demon with gratitude.

Before your feet hit the ground, make the sign of the cross, shield yourself with faith, and make it clear that a beloved daughter of God has just opened her eyes, and she is ready to take this big, white canvas of a day, and paint it gloriously, kicking all fear, all worry, all morning demons aside.

If you woke up on this Monday morning already exhausted, remember that the favors of the Lord are never exhausted. If you woke up on this new day already feeling spent, remember that the mercies of the Lord are not spent. They are renewed each morning. So great is His faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23)

I pray that whatever burden is upon you today, you would not run from it, nor let it weight you down, but that you would hand it over to the Lord. Before you decide that this day is already hard, sit for a moment, and feel it. Then, ask God to take it. And finally, thank Him for it. Yes. Thank Him. Because when we thank Him for our burdens, our WHY is this trial in my life, turns into HOW will I use this trial in my life? Because if He is great in faithfulness, and we believe that He is, then even the burdens can be used for good. Even the trials will lead us to joy. Take advantage of being stuck in the valley, sweet friends, because it is always here that we encounter Christ; that we are renewed in strength and given wings to soar.

And don't we all want wings?

Mornings are such a gift and I wonder if we have forgotten that. I wonder if we take the rising of the sun for granted. The stirring of the baby in the crib, the pitter patter of the toddler feet running down the hall, the sound of the shower, the blow dryer, the bathroom door the teen opens and closes, the snoring of our spouse, the meowing of the cat, the drip of the coffee maker, the sound of our very own breath, when we take that deep, long inhale, and sigh heavily out loud. All of this....is LIFE. And every bit of it is gift. And with this gift, comes fresh hope.

This day. Right now. Where ever you are, what ever you are in...you have been given fresh hope. Open your eyes to that. Start your day with that.

We must wake up to the light then, and watch carefully how we live. (Ephesians 5:14-15)

Because the morning is never a guarantee.

But His faithfulness is.

"In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord." (Ex 16:7)

Unsure of how to pray? Not even quite sure you believe that it "works"? Do you desire something more, and a better way to live, but you just don't know how to get there? Opening Your Heart, Walking With Purpose's introductory study, will help you with your questions about who Jesus Christ is, why He matters, and not only why you should pray, but how you can begin.