I’ve had to really press in to be able to push through again this morning.

It has been more of a challenge lately for me, to press through the tiredness, the weariness… but the Lord never fails to speak to me each morning and show me what He wants me to see, hear and know.

Thank you, Lord!

After a time of coming before the Lord, waiting, quietening myself, slowing any kind of sense of wanting to “rush” through the time of waiting upon Him… He led me to the floor with my bible placed before me.

He and I have had this “page number” thing going on lately where the Lord will tell me, “turn to this page” or “turn back this many pages and read there” it has been quite an adventure! Well, this morning I heard “turn to page 1219” and so I did…

(Back up to the beginning of when I first sat down before the Lord this morning, I had opened my bible to Jeremiah where he was dealing with some harsh situations, facing a very stubborn people and having to persist with being obedient regardless of the circumstances… I had a thought of how hard that must have been for him, and yet he persisted in being obedient to the Lord. Still, I thought, “man, that’s hard!” how he persisted obediently, regardless of “results”... I took note of this…)

Anyway, back to the moment when I was on the floor, my bible before me, seeking the Lord, pushing through to hear a word from Him this morning…

Guess where page “1219” lands me?

“The Book of Jeremiah” (yes, nothing but the title page)

Yep, it’s the beginning page of the book of Jeremiah, where it tells a little bit about this prophet Jeremiah, and how he had to bear a word from the Lord for the stubborn people of Judah. Known for feeling as though he hasn’t the words to speak, feeling unqualified and unworthy – I have often read the first few pages of Jeremiah and felt like I could relate to him in that way.

Anyway, I asked the Lord why He led me to this book, and I feel that maybe He wants me to study it, to study the life of Jeremiah, and take note of his obedience regardless of results.

So I started flipping through the pages of a book that I quite often already find myself in and I came to a verse that I had been hoping to come across for a few weeks now as it has come to mind (why I haven’t searched it on google, I have no idea), and there it was, the one that I had been keeping an eye out for lately…

“…But His word was in my heart

like a burning fire shut up in my bones;

I was weary of holding it back, and I could not…” – Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah had been facing all kinds of persecution and ridicule on every side, he had come near the point of wanting to quit, and yet he felt utterly compelled and committed to continue in obedience to the Lord’s leading and teaching in his life.

In verse 20:11 he says,

“But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One,

Therefore my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail.”

I am reminded that whenever I face opposition, whether it be in the unseen realm or in my life among people I know or maybe don’t know, I can know that the Lord is on my side, I can know that He’s got my back, I can know that in Him I already have victory. No matter the “results” I am to simply say, “Yes, Lord. I will obey.”

That can be such a hard one for a girl who struggles so much with stubbornness. ☺️

Oh Lord, may You transform my “stubbornness” into a “stubbornness” that can be used for You as a “determination” never to give up!

Thank You for the “renovation work” that You do in us, Lord!

-Heather ?