This is a game-changer for those of us who are in Christ; our trials, big and small, are evidence that God is working in us and through us. Though our definition of good may exclude pain and suffering, God’s definition of good includes every detail of our lives that He uses to strengthen our spiritual character and highlight His sovereign power.
Spiritual hope hangs on amid trials, resting in God’s promise that one day the purpose of all of our joys and struggles will be revealed and we will experience that ultimate “aha!” moment. God will take each tear, each ache, and each sorrow, and weave it into a masterpiece.
Brain development is not just for infants. It’s for all of us. Our minds are continually evolving and what goes in is as crucial as what goes into our bellies. When we feast on things that are pleasing to God, we will grow in wisdom and faith.
You are not an accident; God loved you and chose you in Christ. You might not be the best player but, hey, your heavenly Father picked you to be on His team. Not just for now, but for eternity.
You may not feel like there’s much to celebrate right now. Yet God reminds us that in Him we are victors. We won the battle against evil the day we accepted God’s gift of grace. Through His power – and not our own – we can celebrate daily victories over sin. When we say ‘no’ to temptation, we’ve won the victory. When we trust rather than worry, we’ve won the victory. When we surrender our will in order for His will to be done, we’ve won the victory. When we pray, we’ve won the victory. And all of heaven rejoices with us because each one of those victories, which might seem so small to you and me, are huge triumphs in the fight against evil. Every such victory is worth celebrating.
God bids me ‘be still’ and wait patiently. And while I wait, He’s hard at work, shifting everything into its rightful place according to His perfect plan. Which requires me to be still, trusting He has heard my pleas and will act in His time and according to His will. My timing is not the same as His. But that’s okay because His plans are immeasurably better than anything I could ask or imagine. While I’m focusing on the here and now, He’s focusing on eternity.
Life’s battles can seem overwhelming. That’s exactly where the devil wants us. He whispers, “What will you do now there is no hope in sight?” Yet, God affirms the opposite. God will never leave us or forsake us. He is in control. Nothing and no one can ever come between Him and His beloved children – did you catch that simple but crucial word? Nothing! There is always hope with God on our side.
But God… Two little words that contain such powerful promise. There is no place we go where He hasn’t preceded us. There is no problem too immense He can’t resolve it. There is no future He has not foreseen. There is no loss He will not redeem. Even death cannot separate us from God’s love.
My weariness was the result of too much ‘doing’ and not enough ‘being.’ When I stopped trying to rely on my own strength, my own wisdom, my own resources, and leaned into the One who fills me with all this and more, then the burden felt lighter and easier to bear. Because, ultimately, my struggles became His. And He is so much better equipped and able to deal with them than me.
There is no greater service than to love, knowing that love might not be reciprocated. Some of our greatest feats may not be those seen by the eyes of men, but those perceived only by our heavenly Father who honors every little act of loving service performed in His name.
