Even when we aren't.

So sometimes in the past my heart has felt "hard" and my prayers "cold" and I knew how I should be, ought to be, but wow I just didn't "feel" it. 

and then God reminded me via my husband who was really just my new groom at the time that "faith isn't based on feelings, but feelings out of faith".  

I have a friend who is going through one of those times...those dry times....those times of just feeling "eh".  And I hurt for her. because I've been there.  I'm sure many, if not all of us,  have if we are totally honest.

However, I have also learned over my spiritual walk of many years now, that Satan would love for us to be stuck in that mentality of "my faith is old, my eyes are dry, my heart is hard....."

Satan doesn't want us to be victorious!  Sometimes it is hard to remember that joy is a choice.  We won't be happy all the time.  We won't. Life happens. There are prayer concerns for unsaved loved ones, there are bills to pay and not enough savings, there are wayward children or children who have no full time jobs or husbands who are glued to the tv or no husband at all, or a falling apart car or an illness or a job change, or a full time job and no time to do housework and no money for a maid or no time to work out but the doctor says you must...and the list goes on and on and life spins and you close yourself off until.............

your heart is hard.

But Joy is a choice.  Getting that inner Joy  requires time spent with the Lover of your soul. With Jesus.  We do this by reading His Words and by talking to Him and by being real with Him and with  our best friends whom we trust.

Joy is a choice.  Getting that inner Joy back means letting go of all that burden and placing it at the foot of the Cross and yeah....it's hard.....and sometimes those things will land back on our backs because we forget Who can handle it.  We forget Who can carry them.

We forget to ask Him for help.

We forget to sit at His feet sipping the wine of His love.

Tell your self to sit. Sit at the feet of Jesus and drink in His Word. Meditate on it day and night.

And your joy will return.  It won't happen over night maybe.  

Talk to him in a journal or aloud, or in the shower. Wherever you feel comfortable. 

 Allow your heart to soften with the wine of his Blood......and with the Love.

Meet Him.....tell Him the deep parts of your soul...you know He knows them anyway.  He loves you.  He wants you to experience that joy.  That deep joy that brings peace.

Embrace it. and when your prayers are cold.....lift them anyways. He does hear. He does love. He does forgive.  He does remain faithful.

Even when we aren't.