And the walls came down...

Have you ever had days where you are excited, joyful, and have energy for no reason...all seems good, and you feel truly blessed? Then the next day you feel down, depressed, anxious, unsure? Well Amber and I had some of those days this week. Nothing really major caused us to feel those thoughts and feelings, but yet life in general seems to just bear down on us and sometimes overwhelm our thoughts and emotions. Early this morning I was reminded of the story of Joshua and the Israelites and the walls of Jericho. (Joshua 6) I couldn't have imaginged what they were thinking when they were told they would have victory if they march around the walls silently for six days and on the 7th they had to shout really loud. I could imagine on the first day all their thoughts, concerns, and doubts probably made them think it was a lame idea. But they acted in faith, even through adversity, and they did bring down the walls, and they did conquer.
That was a great reminder for us. I think sometimes we expect God to just make our lives easy and effortless, but sometimes we need to step out in faith and show Him we are fully surrendered. We hit one little snag, or compare ourselves to someone better and all of a sudden we don't have that joy. I'm glad I was reminded of that story, and that even though God's plans are good for me, and are plans to prosper Amber and I, we both still have a lot of patience, and faith building to do.
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:1-5)

I'll try to remember this passage next time I feel like I did. Just because we don't get the results we want in life instantly (or at all), doesn't mean we should give up, because God may be teaching us perseverance and character.

Jason