By Andrew Williams
Opening Prayer
God of all comfort, even in our distance, remind us that the joy and peace we long for can only be found in You.
Today’s Scripture (NLT)
Psalm 51:12
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”
When we drift from God, there are real, felt consequences. This isn’t about God punishing us; it’s the natural result of disconnecting from our life source. It’s like a plant being uprooted from the soil; it will naturally begin to wilt.
In this famous psalm of repentance, King David pinpoints one of the primary consequences of his sin and distance from God: the loss of joy. He doesn’t pray, “Restore my salvation”—he knows he is still God’s child. He prays, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” When we are far from God, the deep, abiding joy that comes from our relationship with Him is one of the first things to go. It gets replaced by a low-grade anxiety, a sense of purposelessness, or a spiritual numbness.
The peace that once guarded our hearts begins to erode. The sense of purpose that once guided our steps becomes blurry. We can still go through the motions of Christian life, but the inner vitality is gone. This pain of distance is a merciful alarm bell from God, reminding us that we are off course and calling us back to the only place where true joy and peace can be found.
Disciples’ Life Tip: If you feel a lack of spiritual joy or peace in your life, don’t ignore it. Pray David’s prayer today: “Lord, restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Acknowledge the loss and ask God to begin the work of restoration.
Closing Prayer: Father, thank You that the pain of our distance is a signal of Your love, calling us back to You. We long for the restoration of our joy. Lead us home. Amen.
