Increase

Several years ago, I had just co-hosted a week-long healing prayer training. Whenever I had done these sorts of things in the past, I had been in the habit of setting aside a day or two to recover from all the activity. Oddly enough, this particular time I was more energized and felt better at the end than when we had begun. And that sense of well-being lasted for weeks. 

I was puzzled over this very different state of being, when the Lord brought the word “incrEASE'“—emphasized just so—to my mind. He helped me see that the team and leader I was working with were all very glad to be serving together which in turn, created an atmosphere of joy and peace that made what we were doing easier for us and for others. 

I’d been a long-time believer in the largely untapped benefits of communal connections in our very isolated culture, but I had not been a direct beneficiary of it so starkly before. God was pointing me toward the idea that this dynamic of joy-filled interpersonal relationships could yield increase—with ease. 

The Lord brought this up to me recently after our first ONE Journey group’s second extended time together. I again felt physically invigorated. We had experienced a lot together, and actually worked diligently on the activities, but we were not drained by that time. When we show up together authentically and vulnerably to see what God is up to—individually and corporately—the dynamic creates an ease for the things we do together.

As a sign reminding me of this, on my way to this gathering, I saw a group of pelicans flying together in a thermal, an updraft of warm air, that was lifting them higher and higher. That picture illustrates the idea of increase with ease for me. Sometimes when things are difficult, it is because I don’t have a joyful team helping me, so I focus my prayers on identifying my team and building joy with them. These last couple of years have created so much stress, resulting in lots of exhaustion. People need that lift.

Joyful community and hearing God is truly a great combination that produces just that! If you are in need of that lift, take a moment and ask Jesus, “Who are my teammates?” Then ask Him, “How can we build joy together?” May His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! And, if I may be so bold, I would add with INCREASE!