Journal Entry // January 31, 2021
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
Psalm 22:23
I believe I have lost some of the godly fear I previously had and it is affecting my motivation to praise the Lord. It is so easy to slip into a life that is centered on myself and lose the perspective of worship and praise. It is definitely a good thing to evaluate my life and heart and actions. These are things I should be doing regularly to better understand the state of my faith and hope. But I am concerned that in doing this, I have inadvertently slipped in my prayers and worship of God. I have lessened my fear of the Lord and focused mainly on the Fatherhood of God. Losing focus on the judgement and wrath of God.
As with yesterday, I am not so focused on the salvation of God and the rescuing of my soul from the depth of hell. I am focusing on good and healthy things in my life that enhance and challenge my faith and relationship with the Lord. But honestly, I don’t fear the Lord. Not anything like David is talking about in the Psalms. I need to recapture this fear of the Lord that leads to praise and wonder and worship. I need to cultivate this healthy fear into my daily life. Thinking and praying to the Lord with a humble heart and a bowed head.
40 Days of Cultivating Repentance
I’m not sure exactly what I want to do with this desire, but it is something I have been thinking about for a week or so and it is time to start moving it forward. I think part of this 40 Days is to develop a discipline and rhythm to my life. I want to better know the Lord and I need some specific intentional motivation and challenge. Sin has been much more challenging over the last few days and I have given my heart over to momentary pleasure more regularly. Old patterns and old habits have crept back into my life and I want to eradicate them. So today begins my journey of cultivating a life of spiritual discipline. With the end result having my heart, mind, soul, and strength fully delighting in the Lord.