Tag: Lamentations 3:22-23

Seeking Spiritual Renewal

Pulling out of the driveway, my son smiled and waved as he drove off with his buddies. The growling engine and over-sized tires broadcast to the neighborhood that they were headed out to have a four-wheeling adventure at an OHV park. (In case you’re unfamiliar, OHV stands for “Off Highway Vehicle.)” My son and his friends enjoy bouncing on dirt trails, crawling up rocks, driving through streams, and problem solving when they get stuck or break something. 

That day’s adventure happened not long after a rainstorm. When the boys returned in the evening, it was impossible to tell the Jeep’s paint color. Every inch from roof to tires was covered in layers of thick, caked on mud. The following day they spent as much time cleaning the Jeep as they’d devoted to getting it dirty. They admitted it wouldn’t stay pristine for long, but knew it was better to wash it before the grime was too deeply embedded. 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that cycle of cleansing and renewal as it relates to our spiritual lives. When we choose to follow Jesus we’re washed clean from our sin and given new life in Him: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) Unfortunately, we’re still living in a broken world so, even as “new creations,” sin and distractions pull us away from God. Right now, so many believers seem to be struggling and forgetting to look to the Lord for hope and fulfillment. We’ve drifted from the rhythms that keep us tethered to Jesus. Some of us have gotten complacent or apathetic, forgoing opportunities for growth and opting for comfort instead. We’re distracted by social media, news, COVID, or other concerns about our health. We’re engrossed in political and social issues. We’re fearful and anxious, forgetting the hope we have in Jesus. In some instances, we’ve let the grime of sin build up and block our connection to the Lord. But no matter what kind of mess we find ourselves in, God delights in cleansing and renewing us when we draw near to Him again: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)

Maybe that’s why we resolve to start over and try again when a new year begins. God affirms this notion saying, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV) The Lord doesn’t want us stuck dwelling on the past. He’s ready and waiting to lead us down fresh paths.

Have you drifted from Jesus or grown complacent in the past year? Are your habits and patterns distracting or detracting from your spiritual growth? Are you fearful and anxious? Maybe it’s time to seek spiritual renewal and incorporate some fresh rhythms into your life.

Try slowing down and starting your day with a devotional and the Bible before checking your phone. Consider limiting negative inputs that make you anxious, fearful, or envious. Process your thoughts and emotions with the Lord by writing in a prayer journal. Prioritize time in your schedule to join a group that studies God’s Word regularly. (See below for some ideas). Make a fresh start keeping Paul’s words in mind: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)

Let’s stop conforming to the patterns of the world and make 2022 a year of spiritual renewal. Are you in?

Click here to be inspired by Mac Powell’s song: “River of Life”

Click here to see options for Bible studies and small groups at CPC Danville. And click here if you’d like to get a huge boost of spiritual refreshment through IF:Gathering 2022 online.

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Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Opening the closet door, I recoiled at what I found on the other side. In the six months since we’d stowed our summer gear, a few critters had taken up residence in the dry, dark space. Thick spider webs laden with dust hung in the corners and mouse droppings were strewn across the plywood floor. Before we could enjoy a day of fun at the lake, we would have to clean out our storage locker and wipe down all of our gear.

It hadn’t taken long for the elements to have their way over the winter months. Armed with a broom and a bucket of water, we got to work killing spiders, removing webs, sweeping out droppings and dirt. The season of fun couldn’t start until we cleaned the grime off our summer toys.

As we worked, I thought about how the gradual decline into disorder had occurred. It was a perfect example of entropy. Without our regular presence there to keep things tidy, nature had taken its course. It was our responsibility to get things back in order.

The more I cleaned, the more I saw the parallel to our spiritual lives. We have great intentions and set plans in place. We commit to people and activities that will help us to grow consistently in our relationship with God. We resolve to do a variety of things to stay on track, whether it’s reading our Bibles more, saying “yes” to serving or using our spiritual gifts. We have noble intentions about being held accountable by others or eliminating behaviors and activities that don’t honor God. But somewhere along the way, we just can’t tend to all of the things we want to do and spiritual entropy sets in. Our lives default to old behaviors and thought patterns when we’re not paying attention. 

Is it time for you to do some spiritual spring cleaning? Have some of those commitments you made in September or January been pushed aside? Are you having trouble remembering the “one word” you chose to focus on this year? Take a look at the questions below and see if any of them resonate. Use the corresponding verses for encouragement to get back on track.

-How are you doing with making Bible reading a regular discipline in your day? “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

-Are you making it a priority to gather consistently with other believers at church, Bible study and/or small group? “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV)

-Is it time to clean out some unhealthy thought patterns that are influencing what comes out of your mouth? Have cynicism, negativity, gossip, foul language or criticism slipped into your conversations with more regularity? “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV)

-Are other negative thought patterns affecting your perspective consistently? Are you holding onto bitterness, anger or malicious thoughts and letting them color your outlook? Are you withholding forgiveness from those who have hurt or offended you? “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV)

-Have you stopped trying? Maybe apathy and complacency have a hold on you. Perhaps you’ve gotten comfortable with the way things are and don’t want to put yourself in situations that require effort or change. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” (James 1:22-24, NIV)

-Have you let busyness force you to replace the important with the urgent? “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'” (Luke 10: 38-42, NIV)

-Are you fighting against your natural inclination to critique and judge others? “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12, NIV)

-Do you need to clean the cobwebs of worry out of your mind? “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26, NIV)

If you’re feeling convicted, why not pray and ask God to help clear out the grime? Invite Him to partner with you in your spiritual spring cleaning. “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)

Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve defaulted to some thoughts and habits that have sidetracked you spiritually. Instead, embrace the powerful truth of “Maybe It’s Ok” by We Are Messengers.

A Fresh Start

One thing I’ve learned is that it’s never futile to begin anew. Each time, we learn and grow in new ways.

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Our car gleamed in the early morning light as we pointed it north and drove up the freeway. Freshly washed and waxed, the sun’s first rays reflected off the sleek surface as we began our ten-hour trek. It’s become a ritual in our family to begin a driving trip with a clean car. We even have a saying for it: “Clean cars run better.” It seems best to start a long road trip keeping this practice in mind. It’s never failed us yet.

Crossing the border from California into Oregon, a light dusting of snow began to fall. By the time we reached Portland, the grime of the road and the wet weather had dulled the sheen of the once-clean car. It was bound to happen, so why did we bother? Maybe it’s because there is something that feels good about starting fresh.

It could be the reason these words resonate with me:

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)

Yes, the car got dirty after we washed it, but it was much easier to clean when we got home because the layers of dirt weren’t thick and hadn’t been there long. The same thing is true of our spiritual lives: every morning we get a new day to start again. God’s compassion for us is renewed and He shows His faithfulness. No matter how messy the day before was or how much we messed up, God lets us push the re-start button.

Maybe that’s why we celebrate a New Year. It’s why January First marks the day people resolve to start over and try again. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s never futile to begin anew. Each time, we learn and grow in new ways. Plus, it’s a chance to clear off the grime of past sins before they consume us. When we take time to do spiritual spring-cleaning, to examine our hearts and to receive God’s compassion afresh, we stay more closely aligned with His Spirit. The longer and further we stray, the harder it is to re-engage.

The beginning of a New Year is a great chance to regain lost ground and claim new territory in our walks with God. It’s the time to open a new devotional or to begin reading our Bibles daily. It’s a blank page, just waiting to be filled with new possibilities. If you’re a part of CPC’s Focused Living, you’ll be hearing much more about that as we begin our new study by Priscilla Shirer called One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land. If you’re a regular reader from beyond the group, I’ll be sure to keep it relevant for you.

I can’t wait to start fresh, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

Click on the link to be inspired by Lincoln Brewster’s song: “Made New.”