Yesterday I was in the dollar store and noticed one of those ball throwers for your dog.  This one was a scoop that you put the ball in and then you fling it and the ball flies.  Similar to the photo in this blog.  I'll bet many of you have played with these at some point in your life.  With little effort, you can really make that ball fly.  Our dog Digby hasn't quite figured out fetch yet.  If I throw a ball he runs after it, but then wants you to fight to get it back.  If I'm playing fetch with him, and I'm trying to distract him, I'll sometimes just toss the ball near me.  He kinda just looks up at me as if to say, "that's not how you do it".  He wants me to throw it far.

A favourite verse is 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  This verse can give comfort when we're faced with difficulty and encouragement that we're not meant to carry our burdens, we can give them to God.  But as we often do, we like to sanitize things and make them very neat and tidy.  We think of someone helping lift a burden off of our backs and the freedom that it brings us.  This is certainly a good analogy and has helped me understand what it means to give my burden to God.  But can you think of another time when that word "cast" is used in the Bible?  Perhaps by Jesus?  Here's one example, "And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons" (Mark 1:39, ESV).  When we read about Jesus casting out demons, "neat" and "tidy" would not be words I would use.  Violent, forceful, direct, powerful are words I would use to describe these encounters.  In the Greek (the original language of most of the New Testament) the word we translate as "cast" or "casting" have a common meaning.  After all, that's why we often translate them into the same english word.  That common meaning is the word "throw".  Think about it.  A similar meaning to Jesus casting out a demon, and us casting our anxiety on God.  I think God is giving us permission to be more than "neat and tidy" but to get a bit forceful and direct with what is weighing us down.  Could we possibly speak to our problems, cares, concerns and worries like Jesus did when casting out demons?  "Hey sickness, lust, depression, negativity!  Are you listening to me!  By the authority given to me by God's Word, get out!"

When stuff comes that brings us down, let's stop being nice to it.  Rather, let's throw it far away.  Cast it onto Jesus, because Jesus cares for you!

-Jason

Are there tastes, smells or sounds that bring you right back to childhood?  One sound that does it for me is hearing a train in the distance.  There were train tracks on the edge of our property growing up.  I remember especially in the winter when on cold nights it sounded like the train might drive right into the house.  For some, if they hear a train it wakes them up.  For me, a train makes me think of home.  We often would take a Sunday afternoon four-wheeler ride back to the tracks and marvel, every time, how one engine could pull so many freight cars.  

The image of a train helps me understand a simple reality of life.  We need to have the train cars in our minds in the right order, or things don't work well.  The engine needs to be out front.  Isaiah 3:12b says, "My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path."  I propose there are three things that we can be the engine of our lives.  One is our emotions.  The second is our wills.  The third is the truth.  I have found it important to put together the train of your life in the right order, or you have a derailment.

You've all met people who put their emotions first.  When they're up, they're up and moving fast.  Their will; or decision making centre; follows their emotions.  If they feel like doing something, they do it.  And the truth is in last place.  After all, "who has any right to tell me what to do".  These people can be fun to be with, until the engine of their lives gets down or angry or sad.  One of the clearest examples of where this can go wrong is when a young man's girlfriend breaks up with him and his life is crushed.  We all have disappointments, but I'm talking about the extreme.  The train has derailed.  Why?  Because their emotions were driving their life.

Well, perhaps we should put our will in front.  Our choices are important, after all.  You've met people like this.  They think of themselves as self-made.  They decide to take on a challenge and truth and emotion get behind.  After all, "I create my own destiny, I create my own truth" they say.  And their emotions follow.  This ones a little more dangerous than the first.  Because it is true, we can affect our emotions by a decision of our wills.  But our decisions only go so far.  There are things that are out of our hands.  I think of a person who has put all their self-worth in their job or their finances, and then something happens that is out of their control.  And their life derails.

Finally,  we can put the truth in front as the engine of our lives.  When truth is in front, decisions are made from good information.  We don't just change our lives by positive thinking or some other psychology, but our choices are based on real truth that is solid and won't change and shift.  And our emotions won't be jerked around by whatever path seems right.  They will be following things that are right.  When temptations come, inviting you to doubt your capabilities or self-worth, the truth about who you are is right out front.  You are loved and valued by God.  Nothing will change that.  So, your decisions and emotions aren't as easily swayed.  Sure, we still have times when our emotions can push hard on the engine.  Breaking up will always be hard to do.  But the truth will keep us on the tracks.  Of course, if you're a follower of Christ, you've seen this coming...what did Jesus say about truth?  "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).  The best engine is Jesus.  Let Him be.

"The joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV).  I've certainly met people who exude this attribute.  It doesn't seem to matter what they're facing, they live lives of encouragement despite their circumstance.  There certainly is a supernatural element to this truth that doesn't always make sense in human terms.  God can give someone joy when it makes no earthly sense why they would have it.

Recently at Laurentian we talked about the fight for your mind.  So many struggle in this area.  Whether it be lust, negative thoughts, self-worth or depression.  How is the Lord's joy our strength in these daily struggles?   Recently I read an article about this issue that I thought was helpful.  I realize that this is written from a battle with depression, but there is something here for all of us who want God to renew our minds (Romans 12:2).  If you replace the word "depression" with "negativity" or "lust" or "poor self worth", I believe there is help here.  Carol McLeod from Just Joy Ministries (http://www.justjoyministries.com/) writes:

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After years and years suffering from debilitating depression, I have asked God to make me an expert on joy! I already knew more than one woman should ever know about depression so I was determined to turn it all around ... and focus on joy!

This is what I know:
Depression weakens you and joy strengthens you!
Depression is cruel and joy is kind.
Depression cuts off the source of life and joy fertilizes abundant life!
The language of depression is blame and bitterness; the language of joy is blessing and benefit!

We were not made for depression ... we were made for joy!

The question remains, however, “How do we get from depression to joy?”
We turn away from depression one minute at a time. We set one emotional foot in front of the other and walk away from depression and toward the Kingdom of joy.
We choose to read the Bible. Every day.
We choose to worship enthusiastically when we would rather mope.
We give generously to people who don’t deserve it.
We forgive completely and refuse bitterness.
We walk away from depression and toward joy one step at a time ... one choice at a time ... one minute at a time.
The choice is yours. Which way are you walking today?

Practical Application:
1- Determine today that not one negative word will come out of your mouth. Every word that travels across your pearly whites should only be words of blessing, praise and thanksgiving!
2- Be the most thankful version of yourself possible! How about listing 4 things today for which you are grateful?

Declaration:
From this day forward I will only walk toward joy and never toward depression. The words of my mouth will only bring blessing and encouragement.

Prayer:
“Jesus, I ask You to sit on the throne of my emotions. My emotions will bow to Your loving and eternal Lordship. I need Your presence and Your strength as I travel away from depression and toward joy. Thank You for Your help. Amen.”
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This is a good word!  When people meet us, may we exude the joy of the Lord.

You can find this devotional reading as part of the "21 Days to Beat Depression" reading plan from bible.com.
You can find this, and many other devotional and Bible readings plans available for free at https://www.bible.com/reading-plans

Please be in touch if you have a comment or a prayer request.
-Jason