When your day is anything but peaceful, find your inner peace in Christ. Draw close to him.
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Today, Joni reminds us what happens when we draw near to God.
JONI: The other day, I had to rush off from the office to make a 4 o’clock doctor’s appointment. And I felt so frustrated having to leave work early because I had promised my co-worker that I would get her something done on time, but I didn’t; I missed it. Okay, so, I’m upset as my husband, and I rush away down the freeway to my appointment. But when we arrive, huffing and puffing, the secretary told us that I didn’t have an appointment. It was scheduled two weeks from now. Ken and I looked at each other. I was so upset then. And Ken wasn’t exactly happy with me, either. “Didn’t you check your calendar?” he said. But I shot back, “Look, it wasn’t my fault. Lisa [that’s my assistant] must’ve gotten the appointment wrong.” You know, you’ve got to blame somebody else, right? Ken insisted I should’ve looked, should’ve double checked. After all, it was my medical appointment. It was too late to go back to the office, so we quietly drove home. And I’m thinking the whole time that I’m not too happy with God’s sovereignty right now. As though the whole thing were his fault.
Now, I realize these kinds of things happen all the time for all of us. And I’m not talking about falling into some great, immoral sin. I’m not talking about being seduced by astrology. Not many of us question the great doctrines of the Christian faith, no. Most believers don’t have a desire to live with selfish and reckless abandon. But, as Paul David Tripp says [and this is a quote], “We Christians still live the wrong way more often than we should, and mostly in the mundane moments of everyday life.” He goes on to say, “We let our guard down in times of spiritual warfare, relaxing when we are called to be alert. We allow sinful desires to cultivate in our hearts, not fighting as we should to prevent them from turning into harmful words or actions. We minimize our iniquity, and accuse others when only our heart is to blame.” What about you? Can you say that you live the right way all the time?” Probably not.
And it’s why the last verse of Psalm 73 is so helpful for you and for me in the mundane moments when life gets frustrating. Psalm 73 says, “It is good to be near God; I have made the Lord, my refuge. That I might tell of all your works.” Okay, let’s unpack that. It’s good to be near God. To be near him is opposite of where your frustrations will take you. So, make a conscious effort to stay near God. And next, when life gets you down, don’t make Netflix your refuge, or a bag of donuts from Winchell’s. No, the only place worth running to for help is Jesus. When your day is anything but peaceful, find your inner peace in Christ. And finally, Psalm 73 says to do all this – that is, to stay near God, make him your refuge – so that you can tell of his works. Paul David Tripp says: “Live no longer for your own glory – the glory of getting what you want and indulging what you feel. No, live with the recognition that you’ve been positioned to point people around you to the only one who will satisfy their hearts.”
SHAUNA: So, there you go, friend. Great advice for the next time you’re frustrated or disappointed. Stay near to God. Make him your refuge. And remember you don’t have to live for your own glory, live for the glory of Jesus and he’s made you and me to tell others about him. So, share this message with your friends today, would you? And if you need prayer when it comes to staying near to God, send us your prayer request at joniradio.org. Again that’s joniradio.org. God bless you today friend, and thanks for listening!
© Joni and Friends