Lesson 9: The Results of the Gospel

It looks like it is going to be ‘one of those days’. You wake up and there are tears already falling from your eyes, and emotions fill up your heart till it feels like it is going to burst. You cannot pinpoint why you are feeling so sad but the emotional pain covers everything in the day.

Your little toddler tries to show you their latest drawing but you can barely see the drawing through the mist of tears. They ask you what is wrong and you give them a watery smile and say that you are a bit unwell today but that everything is going to be alright. But you do not believe your own words. It feels like you have labels engraved across your forehead that say: ‘unworthy’ and ‘less than’.

But you are now learning to apply the gospel. You are learning to live the gospel. You see yourself raised out of the tomb of surrendering to your feelings and accepting the enemy tactics in your thoughts that deceive you that it is ‘one of those days’. Instead today you are going to rejoice in the new life that Jesus purchased for you on the cross, and believe that across your forehead are engraved the words “beloved child of God” and ‘totally accepted and flawless in Christ’. And turning your mind and heart to the cross, you see that your precious name is written and graven forever on Jesus’ heart and on His nail pierced hands. You are going to live like you've been raised from the dead to a new life. Your aim is different, your focus is different. And your heart is different. It is set on Jesus, just like His was set on you.

This means that you aren't going to focus on your emotions today, but are asking for grace to turn your mind back onto Jesus and His love. You wrap the robe of righteousness tightly around you that Jesus has placed gently across your shoulders when you first believed.

You might sit down with your child and draw a picture together, remembering that Jesus on the cross put you and others ahead of Himself. Then later in the day you put the toddler in the pusher and go for a walk outside. For Jesus says, “Come walk with me. Let’s commune together. I love you; I gave my life for you; I want to be with you during this time.” And you say, “Yes!” to Jesus, the Lover of your soul. Your time of exercise lifts your spirit as you see God’s beautiful creation outside and you make the time into a prayer walk with God and your toddler. This will help you begin to disassociate yourself with despair, and instead begin to associate yourself with Jesus, His death and resurrection. He's your main focus today, not your emotions. He's your life, sadness isn't.

And let me tell you, Jesus will become very precious to you as you learn to live what you believe. The key is focusing squarely and become consumed with the cross of Jesus Christ and His resurrection.