EXPAND TO READ: JEREMIAH 45 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 3a): I have often gotten stuck in the “woe is me” mentality; typically drowning in depression and worry as a result. This shows a lack a trust in You when things aren’t going as I had planned them and I am sorry for that, Father. Please forgive me for my lack of trust. Please forgive me for often dipping into that “woe is me” mentality since coming to faith. It’s a deep dark cave that I often find difficult to come out of, but You have always been there to show me the way; it’s just a matter of if I’m willing to accept Your will for my life or not in the moment.
PROMISE (verse 5b): You make a promise here to Baruch, that I feel is actually a promise to all of Your followers. Although You say You are bringing disaster to all living creatures on this earth, You promise that Baruch will be granted his life like the spoils of war. The reason I feel this is a promise to us is because I feel it is a foretelling of Jesus. I believe You are promising us great and everlasting life through Him who saves us. Thank You for this promise, Father. Thank You for giving us the spoils of this spiritual war even though we are far from worthy.
ATTITUDE (verse 3): This verse yet again is speaking loudly to me. Baruch was stuck in the “woe is me” mentality, but even more so he was stuck on the circumstances he was in, feeling worn out and in misery due to Your will for Your people in that moment. I too often default to this attitude instead of one of praise and trust in You, Father. Help me to strengthen my dependence on You, Father; my dependence on Your strength, Your peace, and Your endurance in difficult times. Help me to embrace an attitude that fully embodies Your righteousness through all things instead of the weakness of my flesh.
COMMAND (verse 5a): In this verse, not only do You give us a promise, but You also give us a command. You asked Baruch if he was seeking great things for himself. Immediately after that question, not even giving him a chance to respond as You already knew the answer, You told him to “stop seeking.” We often get stuck in our own selfish desires, which brings on a lot of the negative defaults of emotions like depression, anxiety, and fear. Help me to be better at following this command, Father. Help me to be better at recognizing when I am attempting to seek my own glory or Yours. Help me to keep my focus on You through all things, regardless of the circumstances, so that You are glorified through my actions and not myself.
EXAMPLE (verses 4-5): In speaking through Jeremiah to Baruch, You give us an amazing example to live by. You show Baruch that although great devastation is about to come to just about everyone on this earth, that through his faithfulness he will be saved. This just shows me that no matter what is going on around us, we can find peace in You by standing in the eye of the storm through it all. You are the eye of the storm in my life, Father, when the world is constantly surrounding me with turmoil, hate, and destruction. As long as I remain focused on You, then I will remain in the eye of the storm so that I may embrace Your peace and calming throughout the storms to glory Your kingdom and not my own.
*DAILY NOTE: WOW! A total of 5 verses spoke so loudly to me today that I was able to do my entire quite time journaling from only these 5 verses. Thank You, Father, for always embracing me with Your words. Thank You for always teaching me the perfect lesson at just the right moments, Father. In only 5 verses, You have taught me so many different lessons. Thank You, Father, for being the perfect instructor. Thank You for showing me that through You there is the rewards of eternal life, but I must remain faithful; I must stop getting stuck in the negative, fleshly ways that I have often defaulted to in this life. I also have to stop trying to do things in this life for my own glory instead of Yours. Thank You for always being there for me, Father, even though I have made so many mistakes. Thank You for always showing me that faithfulness to Your will for my life is the best thing for me.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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