The Power of Your Story:
Last week, we looked closer to the first part of Psalm 51:12-13 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation…”
If your Christian life feels lackluster, don’t stay that way. Pray this prayer that David prayed. Along with prayer, there are few better ways to stir our joy than to share or hear a story of God’s salvation and goodness.
Psalm 51:12-13 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. This week let’s talk about what King David asks God for next2. “...uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Now that we’re activated to see the joy of salvation restored, how do we keep it going? Far too many Christians live on a life support kind of faith. For instance, needing a defibrillator moment all the time. David knew that he needed God’s help to continue to be eager to obey. When we pray this prayer “...uphold in me a willing spirit...” We can begin with making up our mind that if God asks us, our answer is always “yes.” Instead of looking at challenges and problems we face as bad. Could they be opportunities to step out of our comfort zones, to stretch, and to grow us? Could they be new stories God is wanting us to tell? God isn’t done with our story! Yes, salvation is the start but there are more mountains to be moved and seas to part.
Here at Be the One we hold the value “Always Give.” This thought is huge as we see that the Father gave His son, Jesus gave His life, and the church gives hope. Always giving is a part of a willing spirit. Our commitment to always give means, we are not consulting our feelings on whether we “want” to or not. “Uphold me with a willing spirit” goes beyond our moods and attitudes. If we feel like we don’t want to do what God is asking, we can ask ourself “why?” Am I afraid? Am I too busy? Am I insecure? Well now we are getting somewhere. We all have feelings, but if we don’t stop to ask the “why?” our feelings will lead us instead of our commitment and conviction.
First, pray that God will “uphold us with a willing spirit.” Second, make a decision to say “yes” to God continually. That means we are always ready to give, stretch, and grow. Third, ask “why?” you feel the way you do, address it, and challenge yourself to align your thoughts and choices with the Word of God. This is when we can not just have the joy of our salvation restored, but be upheld with a willing spirit to keep going. The stories of perseverance and overcoming are still being written in our lives and they are powerful. Here’s my challenge:
If we feel afraid, the Bible says 2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
If we feel too busy, the Bible says Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
If we feel insecure, the Bible says 1 John 4:14 “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
Identify what may be keeping you from saying yes to God. Then find the truth in the Bible to empower you to not just pray to have a willing spirit, but to take necessary steps to walk to always give.
- Katie Sexton // Co-Founder of Be the One Ministries