Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.–Hebrews 13:2-3
We can live in constant joy when we daily renew our life in Christ.
As we go about our lives, we are easily worn down. Day after day can become monotonous, and our lives can soon become dull. As Christians, we are to have vibrant, joyful lives, but it can be hard to maintain joy in the world in which we live! How can you come into each day with peace and joy? By daily renewing your life in Christ.
There are certain areas of our lives that we should renew every day. The first one is our focus. We can soon become distracted by all that this world offers. Whether it’s the media, sports, or even just work, our focus sometimes shifts. While none of these are necessarily bad, if we focus on these things more than we focus on Christ, they become a distraction in our lives. We must reset our focus on Christ each day.
We also need to renew our faith. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” We need to make sure that we trust God to get us through each day. The missionary Hudson Taylor once said, “It doesn’t matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies, whether it comes between me and God or whether it presses me nearer His heart.” The devil will try to pull you away from God by testing your faith in Him daily. We must not let our faith get weary, but we must renew it through God’s Word.
We must also renew our fervency. Webster defines fervency as “very hot, glowing” or “marked by great intensity or feeling.” Having fervency in the Christian life means having a great intensity in telling others of Christ. Do you see each person you meet as someone needing the Gospel, or do you hurry away from them? Do you take time to let others know what Christ has done for you, or would you rather not bother? Fervency entails your being so in love with God that you want everyone around you to meet Him and to experience the same kind of relationship with Him.
How are you doing today? Has your focus shifted to something other than God? Has your faith been tested recently? Is your fervency what it ought to be? It is so easy for us to lack in these areas! We must come to Christ each day with a prayer for renewal. What do you need to renew today? (Dr. Paul Chappell)
