Hardship That Makes Us Thrive

“Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes–the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. Nehemiah 9:31-33 

  

  There are people who work very hard to become rich so that their children will not have to work hard, or suffer, or have to endure difficulty. Yet I have wondered if this is wise. If one never has to strive, to face hardship and difficulty, can they ever truly grow and mature? 

  It is hard to look at suffering as a gift, at best it is an unwanted and unlooked for gift. We do not welcome suffering in our lives and we do our best to avoid it. Yet suffering gives us a unique perspective on life. It can help us to reconsider our priorities. It can make us wiser, giving us experiences we would not have without suffering. 

  I have a hard time considering suffering as anything but a lousy experience. Yet looking back I must admit it has mellowed me, changed my perspective, made me acutely sensitive to the pain that others go through, and has helped me appreciate life more than I would have otherwise. 

  One day we may see our difficulties with a new perspective. But until then we must have faith that our heavenly Father is looking out for our good, bringing about an ultimate benefit that we may not understand in the here and now. Our suffering may bring us eternal benefits. 

  Fellow sufferer, I know how challenging it is when new troubles or old troubles are piling on. I understand that life often seems unfair. I will not tell you that your present difficulty is a good thing in itself. It may be painful and miserable. I can only say that we have a Father in heaven that we can trust, and in the final, big picture we may understand and appreciate it all much better than we do right now. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, though we do not welcome suffering and hardship, we welcome You into the midst of our pain and difficulties, and we know that all things work for our good in the end. Amen. 

Great Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 

  

  There is nothing like the peace of God. When you feel it overflow from your spirit into your mind and wash over your soul. Nothing can trouble you in that moment. 

  Sadly, too often we find our peace stolen away by fearful circumstances, doubt and dread, and swirling events beyond our control. Yet, if we can take our eyes off of our problems and instead focus upon God’s love and care for us, we can drive away fear and doubt and find our peace restored. 

   

"Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us." — Oswald Chambers 

  

  Faith in God helps restore our peace of mind. When we realize the many trials and terrible events God has already brought us through, remembering similar times of both travail and deliverance, fear is replaced by faith and with it comes peace. 

  Anxiety and worry can become terrible habits that continually steal away our peace. When fears grow larger in our mind than our trust in God, peace disappears. Fear steals peace, it chokes it like weeds in a field robbing crops of nourishment and sunlight and growth. We must uproot the fear in our lives and whenever possible prevent the seeds of fear from being planted in the first place. 

  The antidote to fear is faith. With faith comes peace, but peace is impossible when fear drives our thoughts and actions. It is almost always a bad idea to make decisions driven by fear. When peace is in our hearts and minds, we can not only make good choices, we can live fruitful lives. 

     Peace can be illusive, seemingly impossible to find. Yet when we take our focus off of our fears and look to God instead, our fears shrink and peace can thrive. Examine your heart, look into your thoughts, and discover what is making your decisions for you, peace or fear. Great peace is the gift that God gives to His children. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, fill us to overflowing with Your peace and love. When fears surround us, fill our hearts with peace. Amen. 

The Overwhelming Goodness Of God

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 

  

  Two events recently brought my attention to a laser focus on how good God has been to me. A few nights ago, my wife and I were at a Christian concert praising God and having a wonderful time, and I could not help but think how far I had come over the years. Then yesterday, we had a family get together with all the siblings, nieces, nephews, and my daughter and granddaughter. 

  I thought back to ten years earlier when I was dying and simply leaving the house was an impossibility. I remembered when ten years ago surviving surgery seemed unlikely. My greatest hope back then was just to live long enough to walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding. Now I could look at the next generation, see my amazing grandchild growing before my eyes. Watching my great nephew and great nieces shooting up like young trees. And finding myself praising God alongside my wife as we worshiped with thousands of other Christians at a concert. Yes, God’s goodness has been overwhelming to me. 

  Ten years ago, the very possibility of living to see a grandchild was beyond my hopes. Actually, feeling good enough to do anything seemed an unreachable possibility. Recalling where I had come from and seeing where I am now is a testimony to how God can turn around impossible situations and hopeless predicaments making a miracle out of a tragedy. 

  I know what it is to have little hope and to be staring at your impending death. Ten years ago, I could not have imagined having any sort of life again. Yet I now find myself overwhelmed by the goodness and kindness of my loving heavenly Father and the many blessings He has brought my way. 

  Do not count God out. Do not limit what He can do based upon your circumstances. I can testify today that not only can God turn things around; I have experienced Him doing so. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, life can look hopeless and leave us feeling helpless. Yet enable our eyes look beyond our circumstances to remember that nothing is too hard for You and with You all things are possible. Amen. 

Change Your Mind And Change Your Destiny

He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Leviticus 2:9 

  

  My aunt used to babysit my younger siblings and I. She would make us oatmeal because we enjoyed it so much. She was surprised at how much we liked oatmeal because her own children would not touch it. To this day I enjoy a good bowl of oatmeal. 

  To my younger brother and sister and myself that hot bowl of oatmeal was part of the protection and safety we felt at our aunt’s house. It represented stability and a quiet, peaceful place, and it filled our hungry bellies. From our perspective oatmeal was one of the best things ever. 

  How we perceive things affects every aspect of our lives. Some people see religion and the idea of God as something terrible to be avoided. For those of us who believe, we see religion and God as a way to peace, love, and the goodness and warm embrace of a loving Father who has wonderful things in store for us. 

  Your perception alters your reality. One man’s awful bowl of oats is another man’s wonderful hot meal. Your view on life can alter or clear your perception. 

  Your meal preference is not the most important thing you face in life. But how you perceive God and your openness to Him will forever alter your eternal destination. If you reject God and refuse Him, you will face a cold eternity that brings misery beyond your darkest dreams.  

  God wants no one to perish. He wants no one to inherit a dark destiny. He has opened a way for everyone who believes to find safety and refuge in Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

  Ask God to alter your reality, to open your eyes and give you a new perspective that brings you into His eternal love and comfort. Change your perspective and you change your eternal destiny. 

  Dear Lord, open our eyes and open our hearts to the eternal You. Lift us above our human perspective to see with clear eyes Your divine glory and the many blessings You offer to those with eyes to see. Amen.