The Upper Room 31 January 2022 Devotional | Monday Message
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A Heart Filled with Joy
Shelley Marolla (Victoria, Australia)
TODAY’S READING
Hebrews 12:1-3
KEY VERSE: Let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross. – Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)
The Upper Room 31 January 2022 Devotional Message
I have recently enjoyed watching a show where a consultant helps people declutter and tidy up their homes. The consultant’s method is to have items in the home that only spark joy. Clients go through every item they own. If the item sparks joy, they keep it, and if it doesn’t, they get rid of it. It is satisfying to see the joy people feel afterward, when they no longer have clutter in their homes.
This got me thinking about the clutter we all have — not in our homes, but in our hearts. Perhaps it’s a comment someone made years ago that we keep replaying in our minds, or the disappointment we felt when we weren’t given an opportunity, or resentment toward someone for a wrong they did. But I believe God wants to declutter our hearts. What if we refuse to dwell on or be hindered by the memories, behaviors, or thoughts that don’t spark joy in our lives?
As Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us, we can do this by looking to Jesus as our example. Jesus was betrayed and tortured. Yet the Bible tells us that because of the joy before him, he endured. Joy gives us the endurance we need to run our race and to get through the tough times.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, show us the things in our hearts that don’t spark joy, and help us release them to you. Help us to run our race with joy and endurance. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Today I will let go of the clutter in my heart so that I can better serve God.
PRAYER FOCUS
To let go of past grievances
The Upper Room 31 January 2022 Devotional. The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. The meditations are stories of real people working to live faithfully with the Bible as their touchstone. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together. Read More
