Have you ever felt the need for God’s love to be renewed within your spirit?

I confess to you that I have.

Through the difficult time of transition, moving to another state, the consistency of time I spent with the Lord shifted. Don’t get me wrong; I sought Him and spent time with Him, but not with the intensity I had before the transition began.

Over a period of time, I felt the consequences of that shift – restlessness, discontentment, worry, anxiety…

How about you?

Has something changed in your life causing you to alter your routine with the Lord? What distractions are you navigating around?

Maybe you are like me and your thoughts are consumed with next steps rather than the Lord.

Maybe you have told yourself you will get back in sync next week after you get through the distractions.

Procrastination is a slippery slope.

For me, every day I was off kilter I longed to get back to worshiping the Lord in the way that had been most effective in my walk with Him. That longing turned into a craving for Him that I could no longer bear.

I needed to be renewed by His love for me.

I needed my joy to be so abundant that my heart felt as if it wanted to explode!

As I brought my whole heart to Him, abandoning my distractions, He led me to read a Psalm of David.  In the wilderness of Judah, David confessed his longing for the Lord.

Psalm 63:1-8

“O God, “You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Thus, I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.

So, I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.  When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for You have been my help.

And in the shadow of Your wings, I sing for joy.

My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

Oh. My. Word. Y’all.

When I read this, I praised Him while balling my eyes out. He showed up and quenched my thirst for Him. His presence is real! There is nothing and no one that satisfies the soul like He does!

Something intimate happens between us and God when we praise Him!

In Zephaniah 3:17 (NASB) God was speaking about the remnant of Israel and Jerusalem. The words of His presence and promises caused my heart to burst with joy!

Listen up!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior.

He will exult over you with joy.

He will be quiet in His love.

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

Do you see it?

  • God is with you!
  • God wins every battle!
  • God delights in you with great joy!
  • God will renew in you His love for you!
  • God celebrates, not quietly, but with SHOUTS of joy about you!

You are never too far down the slippery slope that He cannot rescue you.

You can never wander so far that He cannot find you.

You don’t have to give into the distractions.

We must get back to a heart of worshiping the Lord in the way that has been most effective in our walk with Him. Let’s choose to make the Lord our first-priority over any and everything else. When we get that back in line, God will be faithful to meet us where we are.

He will renew us in His love.

When He does, let’s rejoice with SHOUTS of joy about Him and proclaim His name to all!