August 19, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Pray Without Ceasing


As Michael and I were kicking around the idea of this week’s debate on prayer times (morning or evening), I asked people on my Facebook page when was the best time for them to pray. I got a few people who said that the morning was their best time and a few who said that the evening was. What I wasn’t prepared for was the amount of religious, Sunday school answers I got. Over and over I got, “Pray without ceasing. Duh, Chris!” I rephrased the question multiple times so people understood that I wasn’t asking when should we pray, but when did they find was the best time for them to pray. The overwhelming answer was the same.

Either they didn’t understand what I was asking or they didn’t understand prayer. Since I rephrased, put all caps, and tried a few times to get the question right, I’m left with the thought that people don’t truly understand what the Bible means to pray or they wouldn’t be saying they’re doing it without ceasing. I know I don’t pray without ceasing (and I consider myself a person of prayer), and I’m pretty sure most of my friends don’t either. I can count on one hand the amount of people I know who spend hours in prayer each day. They’re the closest ones I know to praying without ceasing.

Sending up a, “God please help me,” a “please let this problem go away,” or a “bless my food” prayer isn’t praying without ceasing. The Greek word for that verse is proseúxomai. It means an exchange, as in a dialogue. Prayer is not about you giving God a wish list. It’s about you having an exchange of words, a conversation with Him. The quick one liner prayers when you’re in a bind don’t constitute an exchange. They’re one sided and don’t invite God to speak back. They only invite Him to listen and to come to your rescue. He wants more than that from you and me.

My wife and I have a monitor in my son’s room so we can hear him and he can talk to us. The problem is that it’s one way. We can hear him, but he can’t hear us. Too many Christians operate that way with God. They think He’s got a monitor in their life where He can hear us, but not talk back. Just like my wife and I talk back to our son without him hearing, so too we aren’t listening for God to speak to us.

I was in a conference with John Maxwell this week. One of the many thought provoking things he said was, “There’s a direct correlation between you being willing to listen and God being willing to talk.” This week, Michael and I have gone back and forth making arguments for when the best time to pray is. The truth is, the best time to pray is when you have the time to listen. God is always wanting to speak to us. The problem is we only give Him the opportunity to listen. Change that as you go forward. Give Him space and time to speak, then get ready to listen. Once you start listening to God speak, you’ll want to pray without ceasing.

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August 18, 2016 · 4:00 AM

My Response To: Why Morning Prayer Is Not Essential To The Christian Life

I’d like to start off by reminding you that my friend and fellow blogger, Michael Stephens, and I often engage in dialogues where we share different points of view. We have a mutual respect for each other and find that our discussions open our own perspectives to see things in a different light. We often discuss theology, current events, pop culture, and politics. Our discussions are meant to share a point of view more than to convince the other that one of us is right and the other is wrong. We thought it would be fun to share one of our dialogues with you. This is my response to his assertion that morning prayer is not essential to the Christian life.

To read what he wrote before you read my response, click here.


Solitude is Essential

Michael said the following about the discipline of solitude, “The establishment of spiritual discipline in the heart is imperative.” We both agree on this point. Yes, prayer can be done anytime, anywhere, but throughout scripture, those places of solitude provided distraction free zones in which to commune with God. Jesus often went away to solitary places to pray. He even told us in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open” (AMP).

Michael also wrote that “Solitude can be created in chaotic times and places.” While I agree with that statement, not everyone has developed the discipline to do that. I once read the story of a Native American in New York City who was walking through the streets. He heard something and began walking down an alley. There it was, a cricket. He had heard it chirping above all the noise of the city. While he could hear it, most could not. They, like we, are too distracted by all the noise in our life to hear that still small voice in the chaos of life. That’s why solitude is so important, and what better time to find it than in the morning before our world gets noisy with texts, calls, emails, and other distractions?

We should pray when our hearts are most receptive and our minds are most alert

I agree with that statement and studies show, it’s in the morning. I remember in my first semester of college, my psychology professor gave us some helpful advice. He said, “Studies show that the later in the day it gets, the less function your mind has.” The National Sleep Foundation recently said that being awake 18 hours is the equivalent of having .08 blood alcohol level, which is the legal limit for being drunk. The later in the day we wait to pray, the less in control we have over our thoughts and actions. Our minds are freshest in the morning.

Michael mentioned that he used to be a morning prayer person, but it sometimes felt like a chore. The truth is that whatever time you pray can be considered “a chore”. I have a friend that I’m an accountability partner for in his prayer life. I have a reminder on my phone at 9:30 PM to remind him to pray. He too says it often feels like a chore, so he needs motivation to pray. If you’re finding that your prayer time feels like a chore, ask a friend to hold you accountable or keep a prayer journal so you can write down what God is saying to you. These will keep you on your toes and help make prayer exciting.

God always hears our prayers

Amen and thank God for it! No matter where we are or what situation we are in, God always hears our prayers. Michael wrote, “A morning prayer is no less heard than a prayer made on the busiest corner of Los Angeles at the height of Rush Hour.” Again, I agree with that statement, but what we are discussing here is not what I call a 9-1-1 prayer. We are talking about a set aside time to commune with God where we share our heart and listen to his. It’s difficult to do that on that corner in Los Angeles.

We both agree that prayer is essential to the Christian life. It is our lifeblood that keeps us going. Show me a person who doesn’t spend time with God each day and I’ll show you a person who will struggle in their faith the moment hard times come. Each of us will face those moments in life. Our survival is dependent on how deep our roots are in the famines of life. Prayer, alone time with God that is set aside, is what grows those roots. Tomorrow, I will dive deeper into what it means to commune with God.

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August 17, 2016 · 4:00 AM

Why Morning Prayer Is Not Essential For The Christian Life

I will explain why I feel morning prayer is not necessarily essential to the Christian life or the best time to pray, as some claim. Foremost, I want you to understand that Chris and I share an admiring friendship and it allows us to see differently, where we might, and maintain godly fellowship.

Also, two things I wish to highlight now: 1) My argument concerns the significance of prayer made at the start of one’s day as opposed to later in the day by those who claim or imply that it is the best time for prayer; and 2) that I write as one who has practiced morning prayer and can attest to its benefits; however, I do not prefer or recommend a morning prayer routine.

You can visit my site here.

Morning Prayer Is Not Essential Because…

No. 1 – God, the scriptures, and history do not establish a precedent for morning prayer.

People commonly use two passages to argue for the primacy of morning prayer. They read: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You” (Ps. 63: 1, NKJV); and “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Early, as some Bible versions reflect, does not mean time of day; instead, it describes David’s search, which other versions properly convey: with earnestness or eagerness. The Mark passage can be easily countered with Luke 6:12: “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Christian prayer practices in the earliest history of the church prove just as varied. Moreover, we find no command from God about when we should pray. 

No. 2 – Solitude is essential to the Christian life. 

The establishment of spiritual discipline in the heart is imperative to one’s formation. Solitude is the practice of withdrawing from others to give time to inner reflection. Quiet, reflective spirits are quickly receptive to the Holy Spirit. If those who argue for morning prayer are implying this point, then fine; however, they miss the point that solitude can be created in chaotic times and places.

No. 3 – We should pray when our hearts are most receptive and our minds are most alert.

This is primarily the reason why I do not opt for early prayer. As I stated, morning prayer works. It trained my heart and ordered my day, valuable spiritual benefits for anyone. It called my attention to the holy before any distraction or disruption. But getting up early to pray sometimes felt like a chore, and I wasn’t always as alert as I desired to be. By late afternoon, my prayer time could seem long gone. Contrarily, I know that mid-morning to mid-afternoon is my mental prime period. Thus, it is better for me to pray when my focus is strong, and I prefer it that way. I feel that the time of prayer serves our schedule and ability to focus on God, which I understand is why some morning advocates may suggest as much. But everyone’s hearts and minds are not receptive and alert in the morning; so prayer then just won’t be “the best” time for them.

 No. 4 – A fixed hour of prayer is better than a required morning routine. 

From what I’ve already stated, what is essential is that we pray at all and that our prayers are characterized by solitude, focus, and, now, consistency. If a person chooses to be consistent at the very start of his or her day, I cannot argue against that. But more important than viewing the morning as the best time to pray, I would prefer an individual to be perfunctory about it. This trait was formative to my prayer life as an adolescent. I met God each day at 3 o’clock—sharp. Thereby, prayer became a habit and a monumental aspect of my spiritual foundation today.

No. 5 – God always hears our prayers. 

A morning prayer is no less heard than a prayer made on the busiest corner of Los Angeles at the height of rush hour. Further, a prayer is not more acceptable because it is prayed in the morning as opposed to some other time of day. This is not like comparing broccoli to fries. God hears every prayer and is honored that anyone should call to him. So let’s avoid spats and be dutiful to pray and so capitalize on the relationship we are given to share with our Father.

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August 16, 2016 · 4:00 AM

A Response To “The Necessity Of Morning Prayer”

Although Chris and I see slightly differently on this topic, I could not read his position (click here to read it first) and not be grateful to God for one so committed to prayer. I requested Chris’s prayers over the past few years when I was jobless and while dealing with a cancer scare; and he prayed for me daily—in his morning prayers, I’m certain. That has meant the world to me.

So there is no animus in our positions, but only spirited debate that we hope will get you thinking and that will provoke you to prayer. We both rely on prayer, whether done in the morning or evening, and owe our spiritual foundations to it, including the many prayers made on our behalf over the years.

The following is my response to points Chris made in his essay.


First Fruits

Chris says, “If you don’t schedule God first, you run the risk of your day getting away from you…” But why must the first fruits of prayer be about the time of prayer? Chris’s is a literal approach that concerns itself more with how we spend the first part of our day rather than how we approach prayer. I feel that I presented a more plausible explanation of a first fruits concept when I stated that we should pray when our hearts are most receptive and our minds are most alert.

How We Start

Chris says, “…the way we start our day sets our attitude for it.” There is no doubt that morning prayer focuses our minds on God and his word and sets the tone of the day perfectly. But what about the people who don’t prefer mornings? Are they incapable of being led by the Spirit because they didn’t start the day with prayer? Do they miss out on God in some way?

Next, if we can risk forsaking prayer and losing control of our day by not praying early, is the obverse not also true—that any gains we’ve made in morning prayer can get pushed aside during a hectic day or stolen by spiritual attack?

Further, everyone is not a morning person and some will not be able to pray in the morning.

Simply put, there is nothing binding about giving God the very first moments of our day. It is a practical and symbolic act that is special only for those who opt for it then. There is no reason evening prayer cannot be just as special to one. God is always ready to hear, yet he understands what is meaningful to each of us. Then, we must certainly contextualize this to waking-hours prayer because the most perfect morning prayer would start at midnight!

E. M. Bounds Quote

I largely disagree with the E.M. Bounds quote, particularly this: “He who fritters away the early morning…in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day.” Really? What is questionable is whether the quote reflects what was normative amongst ministers of Bounds’ day, which may be considerably different today.

One thing Bounds highlights is prayer “on their knees.” Bended-knee prayer is less common today, but what Bounds may be stressing is what I have pointed to: solitude. Still I oppose with the quote for two reasons. First, although I understand the threats that a busy day presents to spiritual practice, it is unfair and unreasonable to suggest to one, Well unless you pray at 6 a.m., you’re just not gonna get it in—guaranteed.

Second, it counters Paul’s admonition to pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17). Life on the run is no fun, and ministers can attest to this convincingly. But having one’s heart seated before the throne of God amidst the hurriedness and even chaos of a day is not impossible. According to Chris, if we pray early, we are more able to follow Paul’s advice; but this is non sequitur.

The Purpose of Prayer

A prominent theme in Chris’s position is prayer as a spiritual weapon. Prayer’s purpose is to 1) win a “daily victory” by 2) waging war with Satan. I am perplexed when I read this. Prayer’s ultimate purpose is to commune with God, and I know Chris agrees with this. Here is where I remind myself that my friend may be called to intercession.

Further, maybe this is also my own wariness. I refuse to let Satan and darkness become a subject in my life and certainly not in my prayers, which certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t there; but it’s a matter of perspective. God is greater. If I do as Paul says and keep in-step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), I proceed from victory to engage the enemy.

A Personal Choice

Finally, Chris writes, “For me, there’s no better time to pray than in the morning” (emphasis mine). Has he not agreed with me that there are no precedents or directives that establish morning prayer, specifically, as essential for the Christian life or the best time to pray? In the end, we should just pray—period. When you pray doesn’t matter; how you pray does.

Come back tomorrow to read my position on what I feel is the best prayer time to which Chris will respond the following day.

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August 15, 2016 · 5:00 AM

The Necessity Of Morning Prayer

This week I will be taking a break from writing devotions while I attend a conference. My friend and fellow blogger, Michael Stephens, and I like to have debates offline for fun and to engage in deep discussions. We understand that our discussions are not to prove one of us is right and the other is wrong. They are intended to help us expand our own perspectives. We thought we would share one of our debates with you. This week we will be discussing the best time of day to pray. I have chosen to speak on morning prayer, and he will be rebutting, then making a case for evening prayer which I will rebut. We’d also like to get your input into the discussion.

For me, there’s no better time to pray than in the morning. Just like a good breakfast sets the tone for my day, so does morning prayer. I believe that the way we start each day sets our attitude for it. David said in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it” (NLT). The Good News translation says, “This is the day of the Lord’s victory.” Our daily victory starts in the morning before we take our first steps of the day.

In his book Early On Our Knees, E. M. Bounds wrote, “The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, it’s opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God, will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day.” That first sentence is the strongest statement to me. People like Dwight Moody, George Whitefield, John Wesley, and Martin Luther were all men who believed in early morning prayer.

They understood that if there is going to be any victory over the enemy, it’s going to require significant time in prayer. The U.S. Army used to say, “We do more before 9AM than most people do all day.” I believe the same should be said of us as prayer warriors. We should wage more war on our knees tearing down strongholds by 9 AM than the enemy does all day. I want the enemy to think, “Look out! He’s up already! To your stations!”

God has also been specific since the beginning of creation that He desires our first fruits. They are the most holy to Him. I believe that should extend beyond my giving and into every aspect of my life including my time. If you don’t schedule God first, you run the risk of your day getting away from you and being too tired or busy, just giving Him your left overs if anything at all. I read a sign recently that said, “The bad news is that time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”

If you don’t control your time and make time for God in prayer, you run the risk of losing your victory. Each day God gives us is a gift of 1,440 minutes. Once they’re gone, you can’t get them back. Jump into the cockpit and take control of your day by giving it to God. If you do, you’ll find it easier to obey I Thessalonians 5:17 which says, “Never stop praying.” You will also find your attitude will change and so will your number of victories. The keys to your victory are to get up, give God the first fruits of your time, and wage war in prayer early.

What time in the morning do you start praying?

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August 12, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Go For The Gold


The Olympics have been going on for about a week now. I love watching them and hearing the stories of all the athletes. They train their whole lives and give up so much in order to win the gold. Their dedication and sacrifice is inspiring. Several times the Bible compares our walk with Christ to athletes. The difference between them and us is that it’s not our works that win us the prize. The work was done by Jesus. In return, we dedicate our lives to Him.

So much of what we do in life is a reward for our work. It’s hard not to confuse our Christian walk with the norm of life. The works that we do should be born out of our faith, not to win God’s approval. The great news is that you don’t have to win His approval. He loves you just the way He made you. You are worth more than gold to Him. Live your life for Him, run your race focusing on Him, and trust the work of the cross.

Here are some Bible verses about competition.

1. Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24 GNT

2. And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Ephesians 6:10-12 MSG

3. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:27 NLT

4. Let no one defraud you by acting as an umpire and declaring you unworthy and disqualifying you for the prize, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions [he claims] he has seen, vainly puffed up by his sensuous notions and inflated by his unspiritual thoughts and fleshly conceit.
Colossians 2:18 AMP

5. I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.
Philippians 3:12-14 GNT

6. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
2 Timothy 2:5 NLT

7. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8 NLT

8. Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
Galatians 6:4-5 MSG

9. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
Philippians 4:13 AMP

10. For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 GNT

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August 11, 2016 · 5:30 AM

Nothing Is Too Difficult 


When my mom was in the final stages of her life, she was in the ICU at M. D. Anderson hospital. On one particular day, I got to spend the whole day with her. She must have seen the worry on my face because she said, “There’s nothing too hard for God you know.” She then spent the next few hours telling me of all the times in her life that God came through in impossible situations. She then said, “I have no doubt that God knows what He’s doing. I have peace in whatever He chooses.”

That day was one final lesson from her that God is in control, and that there’s nothing He can’t do. Just because she didn’t walk out of that hospital completely healed and cancer free, doesn’t mean that God’s doesn’t have the ability to heal. For whatever reason, He didn’t heal her the way we were praying. She knew that was a possibility so she reminded me, and herself, of all the times God had performed miracles in her life.

I don’t know why God answers some prayers and not others. I don’t know why He shows off in great form in some instances and not in others. What I do know is that He has the ability to. Jeremiah felt the same way. He was locked up while Jerusalem was under siege for prophesying that Jerusalem would be under siege and lost the battle. While He was in prison, God told him that his cousin would come sell him some land. I’m sure Jeremiah laughed. Why would someone in prison need to buy land? Because God was going to do the impossible and set him free one day and return him from captivity.

When the deal was done, in Jeremiah 32:17 , he prayed, “Sovereign Lord, you made the earth and the sky by your great power and might; nothing is too difficult for you” (GNT). He reminded himself, like my mom did, that there’s no situation too hard for God to intervene in. There no hole so deep that He can’t pull you out of. There’s no sickness too far spread that He can’t heal. There’s no life so far gone that He can’t rescue. Whatever you’re facing today, know that there’s nothing too difficult for God to handle.

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August 10, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Serious Searching


A few years ago, I was at work in Houston when a bad thunderstorm came through and created a flash flood. I was sitting at my desk when my cell phone rang with my boss’ caller ID on it. When I answered, I heard her crying. When I asked what was wrong, she said she was trapped in the street in front of the office. The high waters had come over her hood and shut down her car. She needed help getting into the parking lot.

I took out my wallet and cell phone, then waded through water above my knees out into the street. As I was pushing her car, a couple of strangers hopped out of theirs to help me. I kept slipping in my dress shoes as we pushed her car through the water. Once we got her car into a spot, I grabbed an umbrella to walk her inside. As I closed the umbrella, I realized my wedding ring was gone. I looked at a friend and told him I had to go find it.

He stood over me with an umbrella to prevent the rain from disrupting the water as I searched. We retraced my steps over and over. I got on all fours and dragged my hands across the ground. We searched for over half an hour and couldn’t find it. Since it was thundering and lightening, he convinced me to go back inside until it cleared up. I was soaked to the bone and upset. I called my wife to tell her about what happened.

After about an hour, the rain died down and the waters went down too. I went back out looking for it. I dug through a drain in the parking lot with no luck. I searched and searched for another 45 minutes. As I stood on the curb, I put my head down and told my friend, “I give up.” That’s when something gold and round caught my eye between my feet. I reached down through the water and pulled up my ring! I was so excited that God had answered my prayer and my search wasn’t in vain.

We can probably all quote Jeremiah 29:11, but the verses that come after are just as powerful. Verse 13 says, “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed” (MSG). God’s plans to prosper us begin with us seeking Him the way I sought that ring. We must get on our hands and knees and search for Him more than anything else. When we do, we won’t be disappointed because we will find Him and receive the future we hope for.

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August 9, 2016 · 5:00 AM

The Promise Of Restoration 

When I was 28, my first wife left me for someone else. My life felt like it was over. After a long bout of depression, I realized I had to start all over. In the wake of our divorce, I had to file for bankruptcy, and nearly had my house foreclosed on, as well as lost my business, a vehicle, and most of my  friends. Everything I had built my life on was gone. The foundation for a successful life was gone. I didn’t know where to begin or how to start over, but God did.

He spoke to me multiple times through multiple people. One of those messages was, “What seems like an end is really just a beginning.” I have held onto those words for the past 13 years. While it was no fun to begin again, at least it wasn’t the end of my life. God gave me hope in that message in a time when I couldn’t see how I could survive more than a few minutes at a time. When there was no hope, there was no reason to live. God changed that with those powerful words.

In Joel 1 and 2, God speaks to Joel about a time when everything would be gone from the land. Joel 1:4 describes it like this: “What the crawling locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; and what the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten; and what the hopping locust left, the stripping locust has eaten” (AMP). It was a wave attack like we face in our lives. It’s one hardship after another that seems to have no end. In those times we wonder where rock bottom is. Sooner or later you’d think we’d run out of things to lose.

But God doesn’t leave us in that barren land of devastation. He restores us and takes what seems like an end and turns it into a beginning. Joel 2:25 gives us the promise of restoration after devastation. God says, “And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten–the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you.” Just like God has restored my life, He will restore yours. He will replace the years the locust have stolen with greater things than you can dream of.

I can attest it took time. It didn’t happen over night. Rock bottom for me was a deep hole that took nearly a decade to crawl out of. I held onto the promise of restoration throughout the hard climb up. God was faithful to His promise and will be for you as well. The restoration He has brought in my life has far exceeded any dream I ever had before the locust stole my early adult life. God has a greater dream and plan for your life than you can imagine. If you’re in the time of locust, hold on to His promise. Restoration is coming.

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August 8, 2016 · 6:04 AM

Find Your Joy


We all know the story of the first Thanksgiving. After enduring such hardships, hunger, and death, the Pilgrims had an abundant harvest and stopped to thank God for His provision. Not taking anything away from that incredible day, but I’ve found it’s easy to praise God during the harvest. It’s easy to celebrate His goodness in times of plenty, but what about in times of hardship? How thankful were they when they were rationed a couple of kernels a day to survive on? How thankful are we in our hardships?

I’ve found that thankfulness and joy come from the heart and not from my circumstances. No matter how hard life gets, how dark our days are, how desolate we feel, we can still find a reason to have joy. It’s so important that we find that reason too. Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength in times when we don’t have the strength to face the day. Joy gives hope and reminds us that God is still on His throne no matter what comes against us.

Habakkuk painted a picture of dark times in chapter 3:17-18. He wrote, “Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is my savior” (GNT). He was saying even though the seeds planted didn’t yield a harvest, he’d still be joyful. Even through failure, there is a reason to be glad. Even if your savings are wiped out and there’s no food on your table, you can give thanks.

Don’t let the enemy use circumstances to steal your joy. Don’t let the thief come in and take your focus off of your provider. No matter how bad life gets, we must purpose in our hearts to find joy so we keep our perspective right. We can say, “Even so, it is well with my soul.” We can say, “I will still be joyful and glad,” because God is still on His throne and our circumstances will never change that. We can find joy in the pain. We can find hope in desperation because the Lord God is our savior. It won’t change our circumstances, but it will change our perspective. It will give us strength to endure anything. Find your joy in the Lord, not in your circumstances.

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