May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen

Hebrews 13:20-21

Negative emotions are hard to shake off now. Impatience, worry, fear, fatigue, depression and anxiety are real. Many of us are starting to look inward too much. 

I know this to be true because I am feeling these feelings right now!

The ‘test of belief’ of our usefulness in the Kingdom is often a recurring trial. We sometimes wander into areas of nonproductively so that we fail to be effective or we eventually get too comfortable in our unproductive routine.

Old habits tempt us to slip back into dreaded and unhealthy addictions. We may find ourselves obsessing, worrying, self-doubting, wasting our time and camping out in neutrality. 

Mediocrity becomes as comfortable as an old pair of cozy pajamas.

Contemporary author John Eldredge wrote, “When we taste something that we think is good, our longings cease to ache, for a minute, but rather we find ourselves empty once more, needing to be filled again and again.”

It’s time to fervently pray for strength to live with patience, kindness, faith, and the hope to go forward—no matter what is happening now. These are exciting times, friend, and we must be prepared for the Kingdom plans God has for us now. 

My prayer for you, Christ follower, is that you encourage, teach, motivate, and be a messenger for Christ with your whole being. I believe, with all of my heart, that a sweet and powerful Revival is sweeping across our country and world. 

Pure joy is when we anticipate that something good is going to happen “in” our suffering because God is faithful and He is never surprised!

Jill Hendrix                                                                                                  

Restoration Year, John Eldredge, 2018.