Rest and Reset: A 30-Day Devotional to Revive JoySample

Recover all

You can recover everything that was lost through Christ's redemption and restoration. You started this thirty-day devotion to restore joy in your Christian journey. As mentioned, rest is the revival of joy for the soul that has lost sight of God’s goodness along the way. We have explored many circumstances that can build walls and harden the soil of your hearts during your Christian Walk. But now it’s time to focus on how it is stolen and what you must do to regain it and hold on to it.

In 1 Samuel chapter 30, we read about a situation where the Amalekites invaded Ziklag while David and his men were away, taking their wives and children captive and burning down the town. When David and the men returned, you can only imagine the devastation they felt and the fear of what might have happened to their families. Scripture records that the men wept until they had no more power to weep. Have you ever been there? Maybe you were actively serving the Lord and giving your all in service, only to return and hear some news that left you reeling. Well, this is what happened to David — the men were in such distress that they considered stoning him. They were grief-stricken for their children and seemed defeated as they looked around at the rubble of what was left.

But David encouraged himself in the Lord and rose into action; he inquired of the priest for the ephod. David knew he had to seek the Lord—this wasn’t his first rodeo. He understood that God gives and takes away, especially when sin is involved. But this battle was different. It was the enemy’s doing, and he was ready to fight. So, he did what we all should do: he prayed. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 30:8 KJV, 'And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.'

David asked two questions: Should I pursue the enemy, and if I do, will I prevail? He needed the assurance that if God said 'go,' then He would be with him until the end. The Lord responded, Surely you shall overtake them, and without fail, there won’t be a failure, David, recover all. I pray these verses over you today. That as you seek the Lord for recovery, you will without fail recover all.

Over the years, enemies have crept into the crevices of your heart, attacking your faith and dampening the fire that was ignited in you when you first encountered Christ. The enemy has led you to focus more on what happened to you than on who is ultimately in control. And the rest that you so desperately want to steady has vacillated between reality and faith. In this moment, please take a deep breath, reflect on all you’ve been through, and process how it has robbed you of joy. Now, I want you to release the pain in prayer to God.

Sometimes, God will conceal the purpose of a trial, but it is our duty to seek it out through discernment and heavenly insight, which only the Holy Spirit can provide. In Proverbs 25:2 KJV, the Bible says ' It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: But the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” God gets the glory when you turn to him in your time of need. And when you trust Him to reveal, heal, and restore, you get to live as living testimonies.

Perhaps you've felt like it would take a miracle to heal your heart and restore your joy to what it once was when you first believed. I understand. I have gone through the darkness of pleading with God to help me stay in faith until the change happens. The truth is, I was already helped; I just needed to learn how to wear my spiritual armor to protect myself from Satan’s tricks, and you need to do the same.

God is with you, and He is for you. Jesus has promised that the fullness of His joy will remain in and with us through trials, tribulations, affliction, waiting, and every circumstance.

You’ve completed these thirty days; now continue your walk with Christ and rest in the assurance of your salvation.

Be encouraged.