I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Not Forsaken
Lust. Adultery. A cover-up. A murder.
Those are the big mistakes that King David is bringing to God in Psalm 51—a psalm that walks through various steps of repentance and restoration after failing to follow God’s standards for living rightly.
The first part of verse 11 is a prayer for God not to abandon David because of his failure. David knows that the consequences for sin are serious. His plea to God indicates that he has a repentant spirit that is remorseful and willing to follow God.
Next, he asks for God to restore the joy of his salvation to him. He remembers a time where he had joy and passion as he followed God. But in this season of life, he has become disconnected from that joy.
And lastly, he asks for God to instill within him a spirit that is willing to follow and listen to God. David knows that an obedient life comes through the grace and power of God, and it’s God’s power that will sustain him.
There is much to learn about repentance from this psalm, and how to approach God when we mess up. But, we can be assured that when we mess up, God will not forsake us—just as He did not forsake David. He promises not to remove His presence from us. There is nothing that can take away the love of God from our life.
Because our salvation is secure in Christ forever and always, we can truly experience the joy that He makes possible. We may go through seasons where we don’t feel joyful—but that doesn’t change our status before God.
If you’ve made mistakes recently, spend some time confessing them to God right now. Ask God for forgiveness, and tell Him how you honestly feel today. Then, ask God for the power to live a new life that follows the paths He has for you. And as you pray this, remember that He will always love you. Nothing can separate you from Him.
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...
