by Jim Hughes
Ps. 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Be honest. When was the last time you could say you were glad to go to church? We attend church for a variety of reasons, but do we do so out of gladness? Are you so connected with Christ that you can’t wait to get to church?
Does the stuff of life sap the gladness out of you? It is easy to let life determine our attitude in worship. We can focus on the things of life, or we can focus our thoughts on God. What we focus on determines whether or not gladness follows us as we gather for worship.
Gladness is not something we can manufacture for special events. It is rooted in the heart and flows from it. It is nurtured by living consistently in relationship with Christ every day. Gladness is rooted in thankfulness. The more grateful you are for Christ in your life, the more naturally gladness will flow from your heart. Consider the goodness and blessings of the Lord and watch your heart bubble with gladness.
Do people sap the gladness out of you? People are not always easy to get along with, even in church. There are issues that arise that cause us to not want to be around certain people. Some have personality traits that rub us the wrong way. Regardless of the situation, let me ask you this, “Do you gather for worship to be with people or with the Lord? Is your focus on the people that surround you or on God who envelopes you?” When God is the focus of our worship, then gladness drives our worship.
Does sin sap the gladness out of you? We all sin and it has an adverse affect on us. It damps our souls. We are plagued by guilt and shame. God seems so far away. The only remedy of our sin problem is to confess them before the Lord, ask Him to forgive us, and determine in our hearts to go and sin no more. When our hearts are pure before God, there is a spring in our steps; gladness floods our souls.
Does weariness sap the gladness out of you? Learn the meaning of the word no when there is too much on your plate and get some rest for your soul. No one can maintain gladness of heart when they are physically and mentally worn out and frazzled.
“I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
About the Author:
Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.
C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chaper on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.
I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.
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