Begin Your Day Rooted in God’s Joy

“I’m just not feeling it today.”

How often have we said those words, giving ourselves permission to coast spiritually or disengage altogether? In a world that prizes authenticity and feelings, we’re often tempted to treat our emotions as the highest authority. But the Christian life isn’t one of passive response to fleeting moods it’s a call to active engagement, especially when our hearts feel cold or distracted.

We live in a society that increasingly tells us to “follow our hearts.” But what if our hearts are not fixed instruments, but pliable ones, designed to be shaped and trained? What if the path to joy real, sustaining joy lies not in chasing feelings but in cultivating holy habits?

The Hidden Danger of a Passive Heart

When we wake up with a sluggish heart and decide not to read the Word or seek God in prayer, it may seem like a minor concession. But over time, these small neglects compound, leaving us spiritually gaunt. According to a 2023 survey by the American Bible Society, only 14% of U.S. adults read the Bible daily a steep drop from previous decades. For many believers, it’s not theology or doctrine that’s lacking, but daily discipline.

The English theologian John Owen (1616–1683) believed that spiritual disciplines were not just exercises in obedience but in reshaping the soul. As modern author and pastor Tim Keller notes, Owen challenged believers not to skip their time with God just because they weren't “feeling it.” Instead, he advocated a radical yet biblical approach: “Meditate to the point of delight.”

Affections Are Not Fixed

Before science spoke of neuroplasticity the brain’s ability to change Owen believed in what we might call “affectional plasticity.” In simple terms, your feelings and affections can be reconditioned. You’re not hardwired to stay spiritually apathetic. Quite the opposite: your heart is capable of being trained to desire God more.

The Apostle Paul echoes this in Romans 12:2 when he urges us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This isn’t passive. It’s an intentional, active reshaping. Owen’s wisdom reminds us that our longings are not fixed by personality or mood; they are the cumulative result of countless choices.

The Three Stages of Meditation

Owen didn’t just diagnose the problem he offered a remedy. Meditation, properly understood, is the bridge between reading God’s Word and responding in prayer. It involves three distinct but connected stages:

1. Fix Your Mind

Begin with the Word. Not casually or quickly, but slowly and intentionally. Read and reread Scripture. Let the words sink in. Biblical meditation is not emptying your mind but filling it with truth specifically the truth about God as revealed in Jesus.

In a world of endless distractions, fixing your mind is countercultural. According to a 2022 study, the average person’s attention span is now just 8.25 seconds less than that of a goldfish. To meditate is to fight back, to reclaim your mind for God.

2. Incline Your Heart

This is where many struggle. We assume feelings are beyond our control. But Owen challenges us to preach to ourselves, to press on until we begin to feel what we ought. Does the Word declare God’s greatness? Then feel awe. Does it reveal His mercy? Feel gratitude. Meditation is not about duration, but depth stay until your soul starts to respond.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:8, “Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” That joy is accessible even now and meditation is the pathway.

3. Enjoy Your God

Finally, as Keller describes, meditation culminates in either enjoying God's presence or crying out for His help. It’s not always a mountaintop experience. Sometimes it’s dry, even discouraging. But the key is persistence. Even when distracted or disinterested, turning to God with earnest pleas is itself a holy act.

Owen and Keller both remind us: this process isn’t instant. Trees don’t grow overnight. But those who consistently engage in meditation will, over time, find their spiritual roots growing deep and strong. The joy may not come immediately, but it will come.

Train Your Soul Like You Train Your Body

Most of us accept that physical fitness requires discipline. We train our bodies, regulate our diets, push through fatigue. Spiritual fitness requires no less effort. Your soul, like your body, is always being trained either toward godliness or away from it.

The Psalms describe the righteous as those who meditate “day and night” (Psalm 1:2). This isn’t a call for monastic living, but for a daily rhythm that begins with God. Before the news cycle, before the inbox, before social media the voice you hear first should be His.

Jesus Is the Final Focus

Ultimately, meditation is not just about understanding doctrine or mastering Scripture. It’s about knowing Jesus. All of Scripture points to Him (John 5:39). As we fix our thoughts, incline our hearts, and seek His presence, we find not only knowledge, but communion. Not just truth, but the Truth.

Jesus Himself delighted in the Word. He quoted it in temptation, taught from it in public, and fulfilled it in His life and death. When we meditate, we join Him. And in doing so, we find what our hearts were made for.

Let your morning habit not be ruled by how you feel but by who God is. He is worthy whether your heart feels it yet or not.

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