Today I encourage you to either read and meditate the chapter below, or pull out your paper Bible to read John 5:1-15, or visit @biblegateway.

‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭3‬, ‭5‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “‘Do you want to get well?’ ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.’ But he replied, ‘The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?’ The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.’”

Bonus: For a visual, you can watch this scene in The Chosen series.

Worship with “Get Up and Walk” by CFC Music, featuring Ryan Griffith.

Take time to meditate on today’s chorus: “You are making all things new. Turning faith to favor. All Your promises are good. I will choose to trust in You.”

Bonus: Song Story

Psalms‬ ‭63‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV — You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.‬‬

Join us for See You Saturday as we talk about all the God Winks we have experienced throughout our week.

Psalms 40:1-3 NIV — I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

This week I have shared with you how I have been slowly digging out of the dark pit I recently found myself in. It is inevitable that at certain times of life, we all find ourselves walking through valleys and sometimes we fall into a dark pit. The important takeaway is that we don’t remain in the dark pit and that we find a way to dig out of the darkness. My final tip that has helped me is to intentionally look for Godwinks. If you are unfamiliar with this word, take a moment to read this article titled What’s a Godwink.

I believe God is always sending us affirmations and signs of hope, but you and I must be willing to receive. We must have our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds open so we don’t miss all the opportunities we have to “see” God. Looking for Godwinks helped me dig out of the slimy pit. Godwinks have given me hope and have helped “set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”

My experience of digging out of darkness: 

Step 1: Cry out to God and read the Bible

Step 2: Connect and share with others

Step 3: Daily gratitude practice

Step 4: Move

Step 5: Look for Godwinks

Let’s pray. Dear Master, thank You for all the Godwinks You send my way. May I be open to receive Your mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

If you feel that you are struggling with depression, you don’t have to struggle alone. You can call The National Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 to speak to a professional about depression and get help with mental health resources.

Psalms 40:11 NIV — Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

I am not an athlete. I am also not in great physical shape. However, I do enjoy walking for exercise. Movement is a great mood booster. Take a moment to read this article published by health.gov after the pandemic titled Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body.

When I was recently struggling with feeling troubled and down, I realized I had gotten out of my habit of walking. My schedule had become so busy that my usual walking time had been cramped. Realizing how important it was for me to move for my mood to improve, I set out to walk around the loop I live on while our dinner was in the oven. Even though I was only able to fit in a 10 minute walk, the time of movement helped lift my spirits and increased my energy level.

My experience of digging out of darkness: 

Step 1: Cry out to God and read the Bible

Step 2: Connect and share with others

Step 3: Daily gratitude practice

Step 4: Move

Let’s pray. Dear Heavenly Father, help me to prioritize my time so I am able to find pockets of time to move for exercise. Continue to remind me of the importance of movement. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

If you feel that you are struggling with depression, you don’t have to struggle alone. You can call The National Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 to speak to a professional about depression and get help with mental health resources.

Psalms 40:4-5; 9-10 NIV — Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.

Over the years I have found that the most immediate way to turn my attitude around is to focus on gratitude. As I have shared before, I start each day with writing down five blessings for which I am thankful. When I recently found myself digging out of a dark pit, I realized I had not been consistent with writing down my gratitudes every day. Once again, the distractions that had pulled me away from my usual morning devotion time had also diverted my attention from my daily gratitude practice. Once I realized what I had allowed to happen, I refocused and restarted my routine. This practice always lifts my spirits and brightens my attitude. 

My experience of digging out of darkness: 

Step 1: Cry out to God and read the Bible

Step 2: Connect and share with others

Step 3: Daily gratitude practice

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for each and every blessing. May I always proclaim Your mercy and goodness to those around me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

If you feel that you are struggling with depression, you don’t have to struggle alone. You can call The National Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 to speak to a professional about depression and get help with mental health resources.