SUNDAYS WITH JOYCE

　

LIFE

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

　

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

　

also we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will Ephesians 1:11

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

　

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23:1-6

 

 

 

Heavens' Letters: Make Friends with Life

God said:

When you get tense, you worry. When you worry, you get tense. Cast off worry and tension both. They are tightness. They hold onto fear. Worry and tenseness act as if you can control all of life. You can influence, but not control. Fear not. In any case, life will play itself out. What has been started will take its course. What has been started will finish.

Be easy with life rather than fretting about what has happened or might happen. Imagine yourself in a hammock with Me. Let’s have a conversation. Let’s look up at the tree above and beyond that to the sky and beyond that to an image of Heaven so serene that you, too, can only be serene. Why would anyone choose worry over serenity? But is that not what you have done and perhaps are doing right now?

Be at peace with life. Be at peace with your life. You do not own your life on Earth, beloveds. It is yours only for a little while. Making the most of it means to enjoy it. You do not own your life, and you certainly don’t own another’s life.

When you go fishing, you let the line you cast be loose. Can you not do the same with your life? Can you let go of it and just see what happens? I say this in contrast to your being fraught with life. You don’t have to pick life up and shake it. You don’t have to carve it out. You don’t have to bone it. Just live it. Let life be what it is and not mind it so much. Govern yourself but not your life so much. If you would change your life, change how you react to it. If your teeth are clenched and your fists are clenched, what are you doing to yourself? Open your arms to life instead.

Instead of fearing, think about the good that is to come. Think about goodness. You don’t have to think about mercy. Thinking about mercy means you are thinking about a difficult scenario. Be merciful to yourself and know that you do not have to pander to life. You do not have to beg for mercy. Anticipate good wherever you go. Conjure it up. Draw in your heart the picture of all of life greeting you in a friendly fashion, welcoming your presence, sitting down beside you and holding your hand.

What if that which you fear turns out to be a friend? Compose yourself differently, Make friends with life instead of worrying about it. You have guests coming to stay with you that you have not yet met. Roll out the red carpet. Prepare good meals. Set the table. Perhaps the king and queen of life are coming to visit you. Perhaps they are coming laden with gifts. Do not think that life is coming to rob you. Consider how you will welcome it with a warm heart.

And if a difficult guest of life arrives, you can still give great courtesy, and you may find that the guest is not so difficult as you at first thought. You can engage with even difficult guests in life. They do not stay forever, and you may even find that your good nature changes events.

You do not know ahead of time what gifts wanted or unwanted guests in life will bring. You can know you will greet what life brings equally and with great courtesy. You can know the ease and gifts you will give.