Fighting For Joy

July 21 2005
Fighting for Joy can be one of the hardest things to do. I mean usually if you are fighting for something then it means you are without it. Maybe you lost it, misplaced it, forgot you had it, or maybe never had it, however it happened its gone. This describes my past two days. It started when I woke up yesterday and I was just attacked with all these wrong thoughts and beliefs and I chose to believe them, thereby causing an emo mood ( I got this from Rachael ). While driving to Nashville to meet with my girls Lauren and Whitney, God gently reminded me that I had to fight for joy in times like these. God reminded me that I have a choice to make, I can choose to fight for the Truth in my life or lay down and die. This can be very difficult to do because honestly sometimes it just seems easier to lay down and die, but nothing comes from that. When we choose to believe God's Truth it can be so incredible to experience your heart, attitude, perspective, everything change. Its life being breathed into you... like someone just performed CPR on you. I think that is why it is SO important to be in God's word and to KNOW God's word. I think that is why I love the Psalms because we get see King David's walk with God and how he too struggled and didn't always continually have joy. I love reading through some of the Psalms because you see a perfect picture of David fighting and choosing to believe the Truth in his life. I think Psalm 62 is a great example of David crying out to God in a time of distress and claiming God's truth in that time. Granted David is actually fighting off real people, but the concept is the same.

Psalm 62

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down this leaning wall, this tottering fence? They full intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With thier mouths they bless but in thier hearts they curse.

Find rest, O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my might rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.

Just like David, we are fighting battles DAILY so like David we have to CHOOSE to believe God's Truth for our lives and this is possible when we KNOW God's Truth.

Anyway so that is what I have had to do today... Choose to believe God's Truth in my life. And I am STILL consciously having to do this as I write this. I hope you guys have a great night!

Also Eph 6:10-12 is helpful also. :)

Rachael Moore

July 22 2005
i also love reading the psalms. i love how it says "Trust in him at all times O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." i love that God really desires for us to pour out our hearts to Him. and how remembering the Truth and letting that dwell in us, truly is a great weapon against satan's attacks. God has been teaching me a lot on all of spiritual armor stuff lately. which is great because i have been under heavy attack lately. so these are all things i must remember too. thanks for posting such an encouraging message! God is Sovereign !!! i love you and will miss you! i hope you have a great week!

lauren i.

July 23 2005
i love you! :) and i'll miss our bible study this week.. :( can we meet a lot during the school year? i'm getting spoiled with all this consistent monica time. ;P

Jody Barnwell

August 04 2005
i love and miss you monica! this is very encouraging! have fun in pcb and give my little bro a hug for me :)