Don't lose your joy

[Greg]

So Wednesday was my day to deliver bread to the food bank. My neighbor Barbara and I met at 9 in the morning to go get it. We went to go around to the back side of Safeway and it was all ice, almost no snow, just ice. It was snowing and slushy behind the store and you couldn't park at all close. We went and got our first baskets and found that the carts wouldn't roll on the icy stuff and you pretty much had to carry everything to the van. I love doing bread, I love volunteering for the food bank, I love being a servant of my fellow man... but you know what? I was filled with the most disgusting desire to be anywhere, but where I was. Forget that this day was what many people would be making their Christmas dinners with.
I just wanted out!
Once my face was froze, my feet were wet , and my fingers had stopped working the Lord reminded me that I had clean dry clothes, in a warm house, with a fridge full of food. I think guilt is something we tend to makeup, cause when He reminds us of something, it's like WOW! It can be quite loud, if you're ranting and raving inside your head about having too many things to do(most of which you love to do), when He brings something to your attention it's almost like a heart pausing silence has been heard.
I got the rest of the bread done and went over and unloaded it (that was equally interesting, but I had already been humbled). It's funny you know, normally things like that give you great joy, but unloading the bread at the foodbank wasn't joyful it was just a necessary thing to do. This week I hope the joy comes back, but if not I'll continue to do it til the Lord trusts me with joy again. I squandered the joy He had given me, but I have faith, it'll be back. Our God is a forgiving God.
Thanks so much for reading my snowy tail,
Please know, I'm praying for all who read this...

[bradmc]

Doing what God has instructed you to do even when you dont want to and there is no good feeling associated with it is a real strengthen of the Lord in our lives. Its a very good think Greg. It builds your faith. Cause now you know what the Lord already knew, and that is that you would obey him anyway!