Victory Lifeline

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

One recent morning, I woke up extremely tired. I wanted to sleep in for just 30 minutes more but couldn’t because I had an early morning appointment and a full day ahead. I wanted to get my morning exercise in because I would be busy the rest of the day and wouldn’t have the chance to get it in later. As I began my workout, my brain still felt asleep, my body was moving slowly, and it was even difficult to pray. Have you ever had a day that started like that?

When you wake up feeling great, it’s the greatest thing! You feel upbeat. Your outlook on life is bliss. Your personality feels engaged. You feel like you can conquer life. But when you wake up sluggish and can’t seem to get going, it can be a tough beginning to a long day with your mind screaming to quit, roll over and go back to bed! It’s for that reason that I’ve learned the importance of taking authority over how I feel—in the morning or otherwise. My body is not the boss, and at times like that, I say it! “Body and mind, shut up and get in line!”  I learned that from the Apostle Paul, who said in 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NIV), “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 

If you’ve ever worked with someone who is moody from day to day—a person who is an emotional roller-coaster, you know it’s not fun, and their bad day can take a toll on you! They can add emotionally draining drama to your day that can wear you out and bring you down. So why would you want to be one of those people?

Yeah, but I don’t want to be fake and have a smile plastered on my face when I’m really feeling like a snail under a rock! You may not, but I do! And I don’t consider it fake. I may wake up feeling less than exuberant, but I don’t want how I really feel to negatively impact everyone around me. And I really don’t want to give voice to it like a negative whiny baby! Who wants to hear it? Who wants to be impacted by it? It does no good and only increases more negative feelings. It isn’t going to increase your favor. It isn’t going to help people see Jesus in you. So don’t be that person!

Who is the one you can always count on to listen to your every word and truly care? The Lord will and he won’t disappoint you. He’ll listen to your every word. He is the only one that really knows just how to help you! As 1 Peter 5:7 NLT says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” Just that promise alone should make you feel better.

In Isaiah 61:3 KJV, God says He gives “… the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Take authority over your feelings if they’re negative. Put on that garment of praise instead and just begin to praise Him! Think of His love for you! He is the one who truly cares for you! He deeply cares! If you know that and you know that He is the only one that can get you through what you are going through, then you are talking to the perfect person—the Lord! If you start there, put a smile on your face, and let your light shine, AND if you take things one step at a time, trusting the Lord to lead you and help you at every point, your feelings will improve, and so will you and your day!

I remember vividly observing a young man who received news that he was soon being laid off from his job. He had a wife and young children, and they were expecting another. As he walked out his last weeks on the job, he kept his feelings in check, put a smile on his face, and expressed his gratitude to those who had employed him. He expressed to them his confidence in God being there for him and helping him gain new employment. Now this young man is just like you or I. He had big challenges facing him. It could have been tormenting and he could have walked around mad and angry, terrified with fear, or with a face like a sad sack. He didn’t. He put his feelings in check, a smile on his face, and put his words of faith out there before others. He prayed through every fear that rose up and turned over his cares to the Lord as often as He needed to.  A funny thing happened. Before he was let go, the company he worked for decided to keep his job and him. They re-thought their laying him off and decided they couldn’t let such a quality individual go!  He had passed this present test of life before man and God. I was so proud of him.

Let’s take a lesson from him and forget about how we feel as we start our day! Why don’t we declare how we are going to feel and lay our cares at the feet of the Lord! He cares for us! Can you say “Amen?”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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