Resonant 7

You are here: Home / Blogs

by Leave a Comment

Lost in Darkness but Found in the Light

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is biweekly and a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey with Jesus.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined Trusting God. This week we will investigate Being Lost in Darkness and Found in the Light of God.  When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: John 8:12

12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said,
I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me
will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.

PSALM: Precious Lord Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Thomas Dorsey, the author of this hymn, like others also wrote from a heart of despair. History tells us that he was in St. Louis being featured as an artist during a revival meeting when he received the telegram announcing that his wife died and soon after, his newborn son also died. Receiving this announcement in this manner was enough to bring him physically and spiritually to his knees.

Take hold of a light-bearing hand

PARABLE: Grief, loss, guilt, pain, and other life circumstances can lead us to dark nights of the soul. If we are not careful, they urge us to turn away from God. Depression can become our companion as the inner talk of “could of, would of, and should of” invades our sanity. The feelings associated with grief and loss are natural. Depression is when we experience persistent sadness and loss of interest.

Our brain’s natural tendency to focus on the negative can draw us into a physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining tsunami and numb us from experiencing the pain. I understand sorrow being so heavy that you want to escape. I know what the dark curtains of depression can do to our spiritual light. Trying to run from the pain can exhaust us. To heal, we have to confess that we are tired, weak, feel alone, and are lost in the darkness. To overcome the difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations associated with our tragedy we must recognize, acknowledge, and investigate the darkness and allow Jesus, the Light of the World to nurture the pain.

God never leaves us but in times of loss, isolation, and depression, we can feel alone. It is during these times that spiritual warfare is occurring and the evil one is coercing us to keep our emotional distress a secret. This is when we must do the opposite and ask for help! From our fallen stance of sadness and hopelessness, we must seek God’s hand to lead us to the light. We must also recognize God has equipped some of His children to lead you into the light of God’s Healing Presence. He has placed someone in your life to walk with you on your journey toward hope, healing and health. When you find yourself in the darkness, invite God to take your hand, lead you out of the darkness, and to help you stand.  

PONDER and WANDER:  When you find yourself in the darkness, how do you get to the light? Who has God placed in your life that will be your designated flashlight one step at a time as you walk towards Jesus?

Soul care training exercise: If you choose, when you are ready, invite the Holy Spirit to help you to ponder these questions:

  • First, consider the question, Am I secretive about my emotional distress?
  • Next,  reflect on the question, Do I seek support from others in times of distress and how?
  • Then, consider if you are currently experiencing emotional distress, isolation, and/or dark thoughts (click here to take a depression survey).
  • Now, Ask God to take your hand and to lead you to help that you may see His light in this darkness.
  • Finally, share your distress with a friend, family member, spouse, or counselor.

God has a plan for you to walk in His light. It may include allowing someone else to be the flashlight to your recovery. Hold on to His hand, with His guidance, you can stand. If you are not experiencing any darkness, ask yourself who in my life may need me to shine light? Do you have a friend who lives alone, someone experiencing a challenging time, someone who needs you to listen? Allow God to direct you to that person lost in darkness and direct them to The Light.

PRAYER: Jesus, sometimes the circumstances of life are dark and I get tired and too weak to see past the current moment. BUT… You are the Light of the World. Help me to be transparent with my emotional distress. Surround me with light-bearers who light my path toward healing by shining their lights on You. In the healing name of Jesus I pray, Amen. 

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to breathe in and let the work of your wandering fill you with His healing light.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Trust in Him appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions:
Light bearing hand: Pixabay 
Take my hand: Belovedwomen.org photo with added text

BONUS REFLECTION: Take a moment to let in the light of Jesus. You will find healing and hope in Jesus, the Light of the World.

by Leave a Comment

Offering Your Weary Hand to God

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand (1932)

By: Thomas A. Dorsey (1899 – 1993)

Listen to this version featuring Mahalia Jackson as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library? Click here, or for the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the complete Subscribers content, click here.

Everyone, enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We begin our journey through this great gospel song which voices our desire to have God take our hand. The last few weeks we considered the importance of holding to God’s unchanging hand, now we rest in the fact that He holds ours. Let’s tune our hearts.

Starting with Humility

Over the last four weeks we have been pondering holding to God’s unchanging. If you are just joining us, feel free to go back and consider some of those ideas. This gospel song takes a slightly different look at the same concept. Instead of holding to God’s hand, we ask Him to take ours.

There are really two parts to that acknowledgment. First, we must realize that we need to be held, carried, supported, assisted. Many people are aware they need some help from beyond their own capacity. That is not easy, but it is the easier of the two parts.

Second, we must ask for the help. Before you dismiss the ease of this part, think of the last time you asked God for help. You probably needed it countless times today, but have you asked. Do you think we should only ask when we are really desperate or more often? Consider the heartfelt words of Thomas Dorsey.

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

We tend to be better at asking for help when we realize we need it. And we need if much more often than we ask for it. Difficult circumstances reveal our needs quicker than normal every day ones, but we must learn to ask not only at the end of ourselves, but way before then. We must learn to ask for the Lord’s direction in all the smaller decisions in life, not just the big ones. We need to learn to stand in His strength in every situation, not just the really heavy ones.

So how accustomed are you to placing your open hand out in front of you and asking your Lord to take it? Over these next few weeks I pray each of grows in the realization of our need and the willingness to ask. He is waiting to strengthen, help and uphold you.

RESONATE!
When was the last time you asked Him to take your hand? Think about the next hour. What is before you that could not benefit from your having asked God to take your hand and lead you, helping you to stand? How about tomorrow? What can you do to practice this simple and tender prayer with greater regularity? Thank Jesus for all He does when we ask Him to take our hand, and then ask Him to take your again today, repeating often.

Tired, Weak and Worn

Asleep at the Wheel

The problem many of us have is that we have fallen asleep at the wheel.  What wheel? The wheel of faith. Because God is so benevolent we are quick to forget that we need to stay alert to circumstances that need His presence.

Living can lull us into an auto-pilot mode that can actually be very dangerous. This is especially true when we consider how haphazard our spiritual growth can become. We must be diligent in our care for our souls, but when we are weary that is difficult.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever fallen asleep while you were praying? It has happened to most if not all of us at one time or another. In one sense it is a beautiful thing, finding rest talking to God about something which ends in slumber. But the downside is when we only pray when we are tired, weak and worn so we struggle to give it the attention it deserves.

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29 ESV

Coming to the end of ourselves is a good thing because it reveals our need of God, but we can not live a the end of ourselves. We must learn to cry out at other times as well. We add to the child-like simplicity of “Lord take my hand” the more seasoned experience of “I am tired, weak and worn” which adds import to the prayer that follows.

So two things. Maybe you need to wake up and ask God for some help to walk closely with Him. Maybe you need His help simply becoming more diligent. Either way take a few minutes here or in the video above to ask for His help. He is ready to give it.

RESONATE!
Lord, help me to wake up to my spiritual life passing me by, to more diligently talk to you about my needs. Help me to be honest with you every day. Maybe doing so will help me avoid being so tired, weak and worn. Either way, I place my hand in Yours again today asking You to lead me.

Jesus, thank You for taking my hand every time I place it in Yours. Your care for me is so precious to me. Help me to walk with a greater awareness of it today. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Willing Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 20.1 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

There is such a tenderness in this prayer. It reveals the child-like faith with which Jesus admonished us to approach Him. Before we can be led, we must be able to stand. Ask Jesus to give you the strength to do so in Him today, so you are ready to be led.

Jesus, give me the strength to stand.

And coupled with the child-like faith is a more seasoned experience. Tired, weak, and worn, all three. Sometimes we are hesitant to acknowledge to God how we are feeling, but we never need to be. Ask Him to help you be honest with Him every day.

Lord, help me to be honest with you every day.

Regardless of the cause of the darkness, each of us faces periods when it is hard to see which way to go. We need to discern God’s light in those moments so we can be led to it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify God’s light so you can find your way through the darkness.

Holy Spirit, help me see the light of God, even in the darkness.

We ask God to take our hand, not only to stand and to be led through the dark seasons, but ultimately so we can find our way home. We are on a journey and this world is not our destination. Ask God to help you set your sights on your eternal home.

God, help me set my sights on my eternal home.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Offering Your Weary Hand to God appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Precious Lord, Take My Hand – https://pixabay.com/photos/hand-hold-reach-place-846092/
Tired, Weak, and Worn – https://pixabay.com/photos/boy-male-man-young-sleeping-828850/

by Leave a Comment

Setting Our Sights Toward Home

Fair and Bright the Home in Glory

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand (1906)

By: Jennie B. Wilson (1856 – 1913)

Listen to this instrumental version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.

Here is podcast content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, and occasionally to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library? Click here.  Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library.  We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant!  Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below!  It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We conclude our journey through this hymn that challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. Looking forward to what God has in store for us impacts how we journey through these days. Let’s think about this.

Home

I have said many times before that it is sad how little time we spend thinking, talking, and teaching about heaven, especially considering how much time we are going to spend there. So let’s change that for at least the next few minutes.

When was the last time you thought about it? Heaven. The place where we are planning to spend eternity. I guess one could argue, I already have my inheritance there and it is my reward for following Christ, nothing more needing to be done to earn it. And while all that is true, thinking about where we are going to spend the rest of forever has an impact on the quality of life in these days.

Fair and bright the home in glory

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:3 ESV

Jesus promised not only that He was going to prepare a place for us, but that He would return to take us there. We have a home in glory. It will be fair and bright. We will see it with our eyes one day, but for now, we need Jesus to give us eyes of faith to see, even if only with our mind’s eye, our eternal home.

So what do you imagine it will be like? Clouds and harps? Maybe, but I do not think that will be all. I think we will enjoy God and each other. Think of the things you do in your home. Rest and relate with a smaller group of people. Prepare for the activities which take you beyond your home.

Some of us have spent a lot more time at home these past few months. At times I am sure that has driven you crazy, wanting to get out and do other things, but I hope you have also made the most of the quarantine to spend it enjoying those who were with you. It has probably also caused you to long for the experiences that home is not designed for, gathering in larger groups.

RESONATE!
We can enjoy our homes here, but we must also be careful to long for that which is coming. All the good things here are a shadow of what is to come. Are you longing for that home in glory, fair and bright as it will certainly be? Take a few moments before you read on and simply ask the Holy Spirit to give you an even deeper longing for your home in glory.

Gaze

Your Enraptured Soul Will View

Your enraptured soul will view. 

There’s an unusual word, enraptured. If something enraptures your soul, it is giving intense pleasure or joy to you. Certainly that will be the effect viewing our eternal home will have on us, in all its fairness and brightness.

When we finally see that place Jesus has been preparing for us, our souls will be consumed with intense pleasure and unimaginable joy. I can hardly wait. But even still, sometimes it is difficult to lift my gaze enough to allow it to be filled with that longing for my eternal home.

How about you? When was the last time you looked into the skies and hoped the return of Christ would happen soon? If it has been awhile, take a few moments right and do so. Maybe you can even get outside and look up. If not, look at the image above and utter a simple prayer like this. Thank You, Jesus, for promising to return to take me to the home You have been preparing for me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 ESV

We look forward to that eternal dwelling in the house of the Lord, but let us not forget the promise of goodness and mercy following us either. I would argue that knowing we will dwell in the Lord’s presence forever allows us to receive and extend mercy and help create an atmosphere where goodness is left in the wake of wherever we trod. What are you doing to cultivate goodness and mercy where you are so there can be a residue of them left behind even after you leave? May God give us the grace to build our hopes on things eternal, and live is such a way that anticipates them while inviting others to do the same.

RESONATE!
Ask God to help you to evaluate if your living is leaving goodness and mercy behind you. Ask Him to show you if there are ways you are too focused on daily living and how you can adjust your thinking to be more eternal. We all need to keep our gaze up, ever mindful of where we will spend forever, without losing sight of today. Help us, Lord.

Jesus, thank You for leading me through these days and filling my life with goodness and mercy. Help me to leave a residue of these two qualities behind everywhere I go, and help me to always build on the eternal hope I have on You as I endeavor to do so. I long to dwell with You forever and long for the day when my enraptured soul will view my home in glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Eternal Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness?  Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Podcast 19.4 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

When your journey is completed,

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV

Sometimes while you are holding on to God’s unchanging hand, it seems like you will not be able to make it through everything you are facing. Even then, take comfort in the fact that God will finish the work He started.  There will be an end. Thank Him for completing what He has started in You.

When the valley you pass through,

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Psalm 23:4 ESV

We all walk through valleys at some point, but there is no need to fear for God is with you. When death is casting a shadow over you, it can be very difficult to recall this simple fact. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you today, and whenever you need it in the future.

Fair and bright the home in glory

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:3 ESV

Jesus promised not only that He was going to prepare a place for us but that He would return to take us there. We have a home in glory. It will be fair and bright. We will see it with our eyes one day, but for now ask Jesus to give you eyes of faith to see your eternal home.

Your enraptured soul will view.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 ESV

We believe with David that goodness and mercy are with us every day, but we will know it completely on that day. Our souls will find a rest we only dreamed was possible. That is the hope we build on, and long for. Ask God to help you hold to His unchanging hand as you wait.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain.

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Setting Our Sights Toward Home appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Fair and Bright Your Home in Glory – https://pixabay.com/photos/cloud-sky-yellow-sunshine-sunset-143152/
Your Enraptured Soul Will View – https://pixabay.com/photos/summerfield-woman-girl-sunset-336672/

by Leave a Comment

Nestle Your Hand in God’s Today

Wednesday Wanderings is and a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey with Jesus.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering with Dr. Sherri, we examined Abandonment and Trusting God. This week we will investigate ???????????????????.  When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive, and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

Mighty Arm


PROMISE: Pslam 89:13 ESV 

You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.

Over these weeks we have focused on our need to hold onto God’s unchanging hand, and for good reason. His grip is true even when ours is not. What better time to trust in God’s grip than when we come to the end of this life. That trust effects not only how we face the end of this life, but how we live it as well.

PSALM: Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand By: Mary Jane (Jennie) Bain Wilson, (1856-1913)

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Jennie (the writer of this hymn) must have experienced a sense of abandonment through the lost of her father, typhoid fever, and the loss of her legs. becoming an invalid.  Still, she choose to cling and trust in God who will never let us go.

Strong Hand

PARABLE: Have you ever had a time when you really wanted to hold on to God’s unchanging hand but you just were not sure if you could anymore? A time or times when your strength has failed you? Or maybe it was a decision of the will. You made a conscious decision to let go, either to test God’s grip, or simply give Him the chance to demonstrate just how faithful He is.

If you have experienced either one or maybe even both of those painful realities, well, you are in good company because all of us have had those experiences whether or not we are honest enough to admit them. That is good news, we have all failed at one time or another, but there is even better news. God never fails. His grip never weakens or wearies.

How incredible is that? Even when we are faithless, He is faithful. Not sure about that. Read 2 Timothy 2;13 [ESV], “if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” WOW! He never lets go!

You may have no trouble believing a weary hand would still be held by God, but a faithless one? Believe it. It’s true. Even when our faith lets go, He remains faithful.

So when we come to our end, and our strength is almost gone, and then totally gone, and our cold, lifeless hand can not longer cling to God’s…guess what? He will still be holding us. Once we place our faith in Him, He holds us secure forever. Take comfort today in the eternal grip of God.

So…How do we apply this truth today?  We put our faith in God’s hands, and rest that we are held eternally. 

PONDER and WANDER:  If you have ever struggled with a time when you faith waned, find comfort in this powerful truth. God is faithful!

Soul care training exercise: If you choose, when you are ready, complete the H.A.N.D. exercise that can help you to strengthen your trust in God.

  • First, Humble yourself and admit there have been times your grip failed, and other times you chose to let go.
  • Next,  Acknowledge God’s faithfulness in the midst of your faithlessness.
  • Then, Nestle your hand snuggly in the strong hand of God today.
  • Finally, Declare your intent to hold God’s hand through this life and in the next, and thank Him in advance for holding you even when you don’t.

PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for holding me even in the times I have left go do to failing strength of faith. How kind of you to keep me even then safely in Your hand.  In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen. 

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to breathe in and let the work of your wandering fill you with strength.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Nestle Your Hand in God’s Today appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
Mighty Arm – https://pixabay.com/vectors/arm-exercise-fist-flex-health-2029406/
Strong Hand – https://pixabay.com/vectors/fist-hand-gesture-power-strength-24468/

by Leave a Comment

Journeying with the End in Mind

When Your Journey is Completed

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand (1906)

By: Jennie B. Wilson (1856 – 1913)

Listen to this instrumental version as you prepare to ponder this hymn. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.

Below is content always available to Subscribers, often to Free Members, and sometimes to everyone.  Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library? Click here, or for the Free Member Content Library with some examples of the complete Subscribers content, click here.

Everyone, enjoy this video, and the transcript below.

Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.

We conclude our journey through this hymn which challenges us to build on the certainty of God in uncertain days. Seeing the end from the beginning impacts the journey. Let’s tune our hearts.

Complete when Completed

Have you heard the saying “The joy is in the journey, not the destination”? The point of the saying is to enjoy the process of how you are going by staying engaged every moment and not simply focusing on the end. Where you are now versus where you are going. I have experienced the truth of that and would generally concur with it, with one exception, heaven.

You see, the difference with heaven is that when it becomes our intended destination, the implications are profound. Our journey is forever altered because we live each moment in the light of eternity, as opposed to simply trying to stay open to what each moment may bring. We are indeed longing for the journey to be completed!

When your journey is completed,

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV

We hold God’s unchanging hand while He continues the good work He started, ever longing for that work to be completed. We hold to God’s unchanging hand through all the uncertainties of life, knowing one day they will come to an end. Sometimes while you are holding on to God’s unchanging hand, it seems like you will not be able to make it through everything you are facing. Even then, take comfort in the fact that God will finish the work He started.  There will be an end.

You will be complete when your journey is completed.

Looking toward the completion of the journey, and the good work God is doing through it, gives us peace. Peace from knowing that it will culminate in His presence. The very presence of Jesus Christ our Lord.

RESONATE!
Are you weary from the toil of the journey? We all feel that way at times, but building our hope on eternal things renews and restores our hope when we are spent. The journey complete, we will finally stop to enjoy the rest that God has made available to us in His eternal presence. Thank Him for the promise the journey ends. Thank Him for completing what He has started in You. Father, thank You I will be complete when my journey is completed. Help me be content with the process as I go.

When the Valley You Pass Through

True Through

The valley looks beautiful from the ridge, but when you get down into it, sunlight greatly hidden by the dense growth of the trees, all perspective of the forest lost, it came seem like a very forbidding place. Some valleys are deeper and darker than others, but they have this in common, they are unavoidable. We all must go through them at times as we make our way to our eternal home.

You simply can not journey along the ridge endlessly. Eventually, you will have to descend into the valley. But the valley has a way of teaching us something of God’s presence that the ridge can not.

When you are walking along the ridge all sunshine and smiles one step behind Jesus, following is a glorious endeavor. When the path leads you to make your way down into the gorge, following becomes a challenging pursuit. They put our faith to the test.

When the valley you pass through,

Interestingly, this line is actually a substitute for the original.

If to God you have been true,

They are two different ways of looking at the same reality. Our faith must pass through the valley of unbelief, where we are tested and tried. We can walk through it without fear of evil. God is always with us in the valley though and provides us a way out if we look to Him.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Psalm 23:4 ESV

I like the imagery of the valley better, and I believe that God will help us to be true. We have our part, and He has His. He will allow all those who follow Him to find their way out of the ravine, eventually.

RESONATE!
Maybe you are walking through a valley right now. Trying to be true to your faith in your God. Maybe you are weary and worn. We all walk through valleys at some point, but there is no need to fear for God is with you. When death is casting a shadow over you, it can be very difficult to recall this simple reality of God’s presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you today, and whenever you need it in the future. Then praise God for always holding you when you pass through the valleys.

Jesus, thank You for walking with me through he valleys, even carrying me when my strength is gone.  Thank You for the faith that allows me to remain true through the difficult times. You are so faithful to me. Show it again today. In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Complete Tuning!

Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence.   We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Like what you’re finding here?  Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Video 19.4 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

When your journey is completed,
When the valley you pass through
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

We hold to God’s unchanging hand through all the uncertainties of life, knowing one day they will come to an end. The journey complete, we will finally stop to enjoy the rest that God has made available to us in His eternal presence. Thank Him for the promise the journey ends.

Father, thank You this journey has an end.

Some valleys are deeper and darker than others, but they have this in common: they are unavoidable. We all must go through them at times as we make our way to our eternal home. Praise God for always holding you when you pass through the valleys.

Lord, I praise You for holding me when I pass through the valleys.

The shadows of the valleys we traverse cloud our souls. Those experiences cause us to long for our eternal dwelling, bright and fair as it will be, even more. Recall your last valley, and from that place ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate an even deeper longing for your forever home.

Spirit, give me an even deeper longing for my home in glory.

When we finally see that place Jesus has been preparing for us, our souls will be consumed with intense pleasure and unimaginable joy. I can hardly wait. Thank Jesus for promising to return to take you there, and take a few moments now to consider what it will be like.

Jesus, thank You for promising to take me to my eternal home.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond.  Until next time, Be Resonant.

The post Journeying with the End in Mind appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image Attributions
When Your Journey is Completed – https://pixabay.com/photos/railroad-tracks-tracks-railway-163518/
When the Valley You Pass Through – https://pixabay.com/photos/clouds-cloudy-conifers-dawn-1852955/

Connect With Us

Tuesday Tunings LLC
E: support@resonant7.com