Daily Devotional Jan 24, 2021

 


You may be familiar with the list of seven deadly sins that was formulated during the sixth century: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, vengeance, envy and pride. But you may not know that the original list compiled during the fourth century also included the sin of sadness. Over the years, that emotion was omitted from the inventory. Some people are blessed with a cheerful disposition. They always seem to be happy. They wear a perpetual smile almost as if they were advertising toothpaste.

But, then there are others who seem to be chronically sad. They continually complain about life and its burdens. And, who can deny that afflictions are discouraging? While we acknowledge that not everybody is blessed with a bright outlook on life, we need to remember that joy is one of the gifts Jesus promised to His followers. And, we need to resist any tendency to let sadness dominate our emotional lives.

Jesus promised His disciples on the night Judas betrayed Him, "Your joy no one will take from you" (John 16:22). Remember that joy is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Let's ask the Lord to help us look beyond our sorrowful circumstances and encourage our hearts by the vision of joy that awaits us (Heb. 12:2). Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that's always in season.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotional November 11, 2023

Image
  A tragedy is a story in which the main characters succumb to the difficult circumstances in their lives. Some might call Jesus’ life a tragedy. As an adult, He was homeless and often misunderstood. The Pharisees harassed and hated Him. Even Jesus’ disciples occasionally doubted His divinity. When He truthfully said He was the Son of God, the authorities convicted Him of blasphemy (Mark 14:61-65). As punishment—although innocent of any sin—Roman soldiers tortured, mocked, and crucified Him. Jesus, tragic? No way. His death was the foundation for the most important triumph of all time—the resurrection! (John 20:11-14). Paul wrote that God “raised Christ from the dead” (Colossians 2:12). Beyond the flesh-and-blood miracle of Jesus’ resurrection, He “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Without Jesus, our lives would be tragic. We would live and die in our sin with no hope of escaping its conseque
Read more

Daily Prayer November 11, 2023

Image
  Dear Lord, help me to go about the tasks and duties of this day with the remembrance that I am Your servant therein. Make me honest, painstaking, and cheerful. And, grant that all I do and say may bring good to others and glory to Your Holy Name. May I have the courage never to be afraid of anyone. May I have the generosity to bear ill-feeling toward no-one. Lead me to live in such a way as to treat others in the same way as I would like to be treated. Inspire me never to be violent in thought, word or action, and lead me to conquer evil with goodness. Let me go forth in Your peace, keeping Your Spirit always in my mind. And bless me, I pray, that I might always follow Your will and live in the radiance of Your blessing. Amen
Read more

Daily Devotional November 10, 2023

Image
  The Bible compares a person who trusts in God to a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river (Jer. 17:8). Because its roots are well-nourished, this tree survives soaring temperatures. And, during drought, it continues to yield fruit. Even strong trials cannot blow down a person who is rooted in God. Like a firmly rooted tree, people who rely on God have a sense of stability and vitality despite the worst circumstances. In contrast, people who place their trust in other humans often live with a sense of instability. The Bible compares them to a desert shrubs that are frequently malnourished and stand alone (Jer. 17:6). So, it is with the spiritual lives of people who forsake God. Where are our roots? Are we rooted in Jesus? Are we a bridge that leads to Him? If we know Christ, we can testify to this truth: Blessed are those who trust in the Lord (Jer. 17:7).
Read more