The Sunken Meadow

Leaning on Christ During Uninspired Days

May 26, 2024

❤️ of the Matter:

When inspiration wanes, and we find ourselves wandering through the sunken meadow, it can feel like there's no way out. However, turning to Christ can offer solace and strength in these moments of struggle, guiding us through the uninspired days with faith and hope.

The BIG 📸:

Life will lose its excitement from time to time, especially as you get older and the smaller the window becomes on your shifting dreams and aspirations, becoming a monotonous cycle of routine and dullness. You may question why you should continue an online ministry with little growth or interaction. Significant life changes demand your attention, making you wonder what the point is. It feels like you've gone from one difficult situation to another. Where is the peace? Where is the joy? Where do you find strength in your exhaustion? It's like the passion you once had is now distant, and each day blends into the next without distinction. Yet, even in these periods of stagnation, there's a path to renewal. A more profound source of inspiration is waiting to be tapped, ready to rekindle your spirit and invigorate your life. And you may not want to hear it, but you already know the only way forward is with Christ.

Christ alone is the why. Make him your treasure, and he will give you the desires of your heart. You are not here for the likes. You are not here for the growth or the money. You are here to redeem the time. You are here to dedicate your gifts to the gift giver. You are here to pursue righteousness and love through art and enterprise. Let God worry about the growth. Let God do the promoting. Let God fight your battles in life so that your peace and joy are restored and your strength is renewed. In practice, it looks like prayer. It's turning to him and his word for direction when you only want to escape through old vices. It's refusing to quit despite the odds you see in front of you. It's having faith that the living God is on your side. You need not fear nor tremble. God is near to all who call on him in truth. The Lord watches over all who love him. You will soar on eagle wings from the sunken meadow to the vistas of the hilltops. And at that time, the Lord will give you a new poem in clay. A stanza of sturdiness, a sword of righteousness, a passion for purity, and a faith-filled focus. In Christ Jesus' mighty name, keep your eyes on the prize! Keep running the race before you! Keep going!

The 🍞 of Life:

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” - Psalm 42:9-10

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. - Psalm 145:18-20

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. - 1 Corinthians 3:7-9

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. - 1 Samuel 17:45

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. - 2 Kings 6:17

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:30-31

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. - Jeremiah 31:25

Take a Deeper Dive 🌊:

Join us in a moment of peaceful reflection here!