Why Is My Delight in God So Short Lived?

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 903

[kalewidman]

I could not relate more to Seth right now. This 3-year-old video just popped up in my recommended. God is truly speaking to me today.

[hannie]

**This is an OLD comment, 2 years old. I have since failed and fallen and sinned and been human but God's grace is sufficiant and as long as you have God you have grace & not everything i appear to say here is true for me right now and some was never a true portrait of the gospel and i apologise for that. Out of the change i list below, the only change that has stayed is peace of mind (lack of negative thinking, but not completely gone) - but even then i still struggle with the physical aspects of anxiety, just not the thoughts anymore. So please take this comment with a pinch of salt, i was in a very spiritual extreme charismatic belief set back when i wrote this, i no longer believe in dreams predicting your future or complete physical freedom from sin as i seem to suggest when i say "all this changed", (because we are of the flesh and the flesh is inherently sinful, it is the soul / spirit that Christ redeemed on the cross, if it were the flesh then we would not be getting a new body when Jesus comes back, and the flesh would not die since sin leads to death, but it does, because its sinful) - Any Changes i have made to the following comment will be in brackets ()**
*OLD COMMENT:* I can testify to this, i started reading my Bible everyday at the start of 2020, but it was like a chore and i was still living with severe anxiety and depression, along with a sinful addiction of 8 years, on top of that i had tormenting images in my mind constantly and was living a fear-filled life because of this,
But (some of this) changed when i learned back in march that i should pray before i read (really it was because i was starting to get to know God as a person, not just because i prayed before i read), that turning point made me realize the importance of prayer and i was able to overcome all of the above struggles (nope not all of them, in fact most of them are still going and its 2023 now) and have had peace of mind ever since then (that parts true), God has graciously given me many spiritual experiences, including a dream from him that predicted a specific event in my life perfectly (*false belief*: *spiritual experiences/dreams do not happen frequently for anyone in the Bible so i shouldnt have believed they were happening frequently for me*), he speaks to me through His word every couple of days or weeks (*i meant that i understand better what i read in the bible, not that God physically speaks to me because He didnt*) although don't expect him to speak all the time, God has purpose in His silence,
praying before i read the Bible is the most notable turning point in my walk (*false*, *the whole walk was important and still is, and getting to know God as a character rather than a concept would be more notable than prayer before reading*), it brought about change in me as i was able to connect with God through his word for the first time in my life, (*"connect with God" meant understand His character through His word*) i was a false convert (*before 2020*) and now i am a truly born again Christian with new desires, changed habits (*false, i still have bad habits*) and a renewed mind (*true, but not a huge spiritual change, and it took a lot more work than i imply here*). So naturally, i highly recommend it☺️

[koenma]

I am in the worse season of my life right now. But I am fighting to gain back my Joy in God, I missed Him.

[victorching]

The natural man cannot comprehend the word of God. So often we read the Bible through the lense of our own carnal desire, without even knowing it. That is how deceptive we are to ourselves.

[HA-yjjq]

At a conference someone asked how they could keep their "spiritual high" that they felt from the worship and the lessons after they go home. The speaker said God's word is our bread. The delight will wear off but that's okay because it keeps us returning to his word day after day!

[BruceJC]

Reading the words of scripture out loud makes a tremendous difference for me!

[solas]

I think it should also be said that how you spend time with God THROUGHOUT the day matters as well. I have to set time apart during the day to pray to God or just be still before Him and regather my thoughts and refocus my attention on Him. Joy in God is maintained by a conscious day by day moment by moment abiding in and fellowship with Christ.

[jdc_]

Just had a great week of being super close to God after a “dark night of the soul” depression and now for the past 3 days I’ve fallen back into this pit of despair. This came in just in time

[petercibil]

use faith (confidence in the unseen things with hope), that the delight is real and existing even if you feel it’s gone. Do not trust your feeling that you delight is lost, rather focus on His words “My peace is with you”. Take this words by faith to replace your feeling of short lived delights

[stevenenciso]

I have the opposite problem. I was saved and can’t feel satisfied or content when playing video games or watching TV anymore.

I feel so stuck because I feel like there’s something better I can do for the Lord but all I do is read and study my Bible. My job is poor and provides me no satisfaction and seems to only drain my soul and keep me away from my family. I’m either working while they’re asleep or I’m sleeping while they’re awake.

Thank you pastor John for your advice. I already loved my Bible time since I spend most of my free time not working deep in Bible study, but I have yet to earnestly pray before Bible reading. Truly thank you.

If anyone sees this please pray for my beloved Terra, I just recently came to Christ and I want so badly for her to join me in the peace, love, and satisfaction in serving God.

[pameladotson]

Oh my goodness 🙏 I was feeling this exact way❤❤❤❤❤! Thank you Jesus for bringing me this message❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤!

[youBrakeIHonk]

It was quite a few years ago when I last had a disciplined reading habit. By the grace of God, I've only recently begun committing to daily reading again.

I've heard this podcast before, but this is particularly timely. Thank God for this ministry! Thank you Jesus for your mercy. Thank you Holy Spirit for your conviction and strengthening.

[fromyourskymusicsoundsofde]

Prayer before reading, is coming to the feet of Jesus, submitting to his will, allowing Him to minister to your heart! .God bless you brother. I thank God for you each day, and pray for your family and ministries

[humanityinperil]

This relate so much to me...i long for God and Iam going to start doing this....I pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that you may find what God want for you....Please pray for me too

[ralphhawker]

Earnestly Pray for a receptive heart when we read the Bible. If we do so God will bring about amazing changes in our lives.

1. God will create a supernatural atmosphere and experience.

2. God will Open your heart to see things you would not normally see.

3. God will Open your heart to feel the preciousness of glorious things and the horror of evil things that You would not have otherwise felt.

4. God will work changes in you that you would not otherwise experience.

5. God will provide from time to time the very guidance and leading that we have Ben longing for in regards to the big decisions in your life.

6. God will give you a fresh sense of his reality.

[samcruz]

Man, I can relate to Seth. I've been too distracted. And thank you pastor John for the tip. I actually did that a few times then forgot. Now I have to remind myself to pray to the Lord for guidance and enlightenment before studying. GOD BLESS 💗🙏

[surrenderdaily]

Pastor John's advice today reminded me of Psalm 25:5 - Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. That's a good prayer to pray before you read the Bible, or, Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

[HVH]

I have the same feeling that my time is imminent as well especially when i play the game. God shows me that he wants me to study his word.

[GregChacon]

The way we sustain our joy is by developing an enriched and strong prayer life. “No man is greater than his prayer life” (Leonard Ravenhill).

[yaelfrank]

I am a Jewish christian. God did it. AMEN!