You’re not stuck – You’re going through.
We will all go through situations in life—some bad, some good. Many times, we think the phrase “I’m going through something” is bad news, but if we view it properly, we realize “going through” is good; it means we’re not stuck! We may be facing difficulties, but at least we are moving forward.
Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you” (emphasis added). God’s Word here is clear: we will go through things. We will face adversity in our lives. That’s not bad news; that’s reality.
Let me repeat: we will go through things in life, but the things we go through are the very circumstances, challenges, and situations that make us people who know how to overcome adversity. We do not grow or become strong during life’s good times; we grow when we press through difficulties without giving up.
Growth is not an automatic result of difficulty. Hardships do not necessarily produce growth or strength in us; it’s not that simple. We must choose the right attitude toward our challenges and refuse to quit or give up. We may have to do what is right for a long time before we feel it is “paying off,” but if we stay faithful and refuse to give up, good results will come. Once we get through the adversity and challenges we face, we emerge as better people than we were when we went into them.
Trust in Him
Determine that you will go all the way through every difficulty you face in life. Make a decision now to keep going forward, trusting God no matter how difficult it is because you know He will be with you and you will grow in faith as a result.
From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way………Isaiah 35:3
When I was a kid, I thought the song title “He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need,” written by Dottie Rambo in 1967, was “He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Knees.” Employing the logic of a child, I wondered why God would look at knees. Was it because they were weak? I knew that weak-kneed meant “afraid.” I later discovered that Dottie had written the song about God’s unconditional love in response to her brother Eddie’s belief that he was unlovable because of the wrong things he’d done. Dottie assured him that God saw his weakness but loved him anyway.
God’s unconditional love is apparent throughout the many weak-kneed moments of the people of Israel and Judah. He sent prophets like Isaiah with messages for His wayward people. In Isaiah 35, the prophet shares the hope of God’s restoration. The encouragement that would come as a result of embracing hope would “strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way” (v. 3). Through the encouragement they received, God’s people would in turn be able to encourage others. This is why Isaiah instructs in verse 4, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear.’ ”
Feeling weak-kneed? Talk to your heavenly Father. He strengthens weak knees through the truth of the Scriptures and the power of His presence. You’ll then be able to encourage others………..By Linda Washington
REFLECT & PRAY:
Father, I need Your strength and Your grace today.
Credit: Our Daily Bread
Thanks to Lyle Dietrich for providing the content for the weekly inspirational bulletin.
Why are people lonely?
“People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.” – Joseph F. Newton In the early days of Awesome Marriage, we posted a lot of relationship quotes from a variety of people on our Facebook page. For the next couple of weeks, I am going to revisit some of those quotes with you and then add my thoughts on the quote. I hope these help you as you seek to have an Awesome Marriage. Almost every couple that I see for counseling says that at one point in their marriage they were very connected. They say that their communication was good and they had fun together. Often they cannot pinpoint a particular time or event, but at some point in their marriage they began to feel distant from each other. Once we feel distant from our spouse, a lot of bad things begin to happen. We don’t seem to understand each other like we once did and trust begins to erode. If we continue down that path, we begin to build walls between us. The longer we go without really working things out, the bigger our walls become. The answer? Build bridges instead of walls. Every couple has issues to deal with. Those issues can either put a wedge between us or drive us closer together. Is there a wall in your marriage today? Maybe it is small right now but you know it could grow into something massive if not addressed. Your One Thing today is to build a bridge to your spouse and tear down that wall! Today’s One Thing: Your One Thing today is to build a bridge to your spouse and tear down that wall! DON’T JUST SURVIVE! – Your Marriage Was Meant To Thrive! |
Revival is Now!
Revival stirs Godly desires within you!
Revival gives you unusual boldness!
Revival gives you a powerful sound of freedom!
Ready or not, it is here!
Are you hungry for God to move in your life?
Are you ready for Godly desires to be stirred within you?
Are you ready for revival?
Contact Pastor Ray at senior.pastor@wlcc-church.org