Tag Archives: trusting God

August 6, 2024 · 5:24 AM

Life’s Seasons

Seasons change. We seem to always be looking for the next season. Whatever season we’re in, we seem to complain about it. We complain about the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the rain in spring and the shorter days of fall. We’re always wanting out of the season we’re in. However, it’s the different seasons that create the lifecycle of growth and production. Without winter the ground couldn’t rest. Without spring seeds wouldn’t spout. Without summer, plants wouldn’t grow. Without Fall we wouldn’t see a harvest. Our lives experience these same cycles and seasons. Just like the regular seasons, we complain and look for the next one.

The people in the Bible were in different seasons and they taught us what to do in each one. In a season of temptation, Jesus quoted scriptures. In a season of being on the run from Saul, David found strength in the word of God. In a season of battles Joshua trusted the word of the Lord. In a season of lamenting Jeremiah found hope in the faithfulness of God. In a season of barrenness Abraham trusted the promise. In a season of persecution, the Early Church counted it joy to suffer as they looked forward to the return of Jesus. Each season passed for these men and women of old, but while they were in them, they held onto God’s Word.

Isaiah 40:8 reminds us, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (NLT). I don’t know what season you’re in right now. It may look like everything in your life is fading away. It’s in these moments, you must trust in God’s Word. Everything will change except it. His Word is our solid ground in a world of shifting sand. It is the stability we need, the shelter we can hide in, the water we can drink from and the firm foundation to build our life on. Though the storms come, our life can be anchored to hope knowing it will last forever. Instead of complaining about the season you’re in, seek out what God is trying to do in your life during it. Hold fast to the promises you find knowing He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What He’s done in His Word, He can do today, and will do forever no matter what season you’re in.

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August 5, 2024 · 5:34 AM

Becoming Resilient

Resilience is a person’s ability to withstand difficulties or to be able to bounce back from them. We all have different levels of resilience. In 1956, Jim Elliot had been a missionary to Ecuador for three years. He had been wanting to reach a tribe who was known for their hostility towards outsiders. He felt in his heart that God had called him to reach this tribe so he and some others flew over to meet them. When he didn’t radio back that evening, his wife Elisabeth had another friend fly over the area. Her worst fear was confirmed. The men were killed. However, Elisabeth didn’t return home. She stayed and continued to try to reach this tribe. Within two years the whole tribe accepted Jesus and Jim’s family was living in the village.

In Genesis 39: we’re introduced to Joseph. He was Jacob’s favorite son out of twelve. He had a couple dreams where his brothers and his parents bowed down to him. It wasn’t long after that his brothers beat him up, threw him in a cistern and sold him as a slave. He worked in an Egyptian’s house until he was falsely accused and thrown in prison. After years of being down there, two men who served Pharaoh joined him. They had dreams as well. He interpreted them and they came true, but he was soon forgotten. In over a decade of being in slavery and prison, we don’t hear Joseph complain. Instead, we see his resilience knowing his dream was from God. It wasn’t long after that when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and saved his family while seeing his dream come to pass.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (NLT). It goes on to say that we don’t have to fear calamities, earthquakes, floods and other disasters. We can be resilient through terrible times knowing that God is in control. To be resilient is to surrender what control you think you have to him. Ultimately His way will prevail. Elisabeth and Joseph trusted God’s voice and plan when their expectations of it didn’t happen. Their resilience helped them to stay the course, believe in their dream and trust God no matter what their circumstances showed. He was their refuge and strength when they needed Him in times of trouble. Because they surrendered their expectations of what things should look like, they were rewarded with the fulfillment of the dreams God placed in them. What do you need to surrender to God so you can find refuge and withstand things not appearing to go your way?

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July 30, 2024 · 5:37 AM

The Best Perspective

I watch all kinds of sports on TV from American football to NASCAR racing. There are times I yell at the players or drivers from my couch because the quarterback missed seeing an open receiver or a driver didn’t take the inside lane on turn 3. I always wonder how they didn’t see it, but then I remember the cameras they’re broadcasting the sport from are usually up high looking down. It’s hard to see a receiver down field when you have a 300 man in your face chasing you down or when you’re traveling 200 mph in a field of over 40 cars. I’ve noticed that often coordinators will be sitting in the press boxes up high and spotters will be on the roof so they can get a better perspective of what’s going on. The directions given by these coaches may not make sense on the ground, but if they’ll trust their coach who has perspective, they’ll succeed.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were on their second missionary journey preaching the Good News to people who had never heard if, planting churches and checking with churches they already planted. In the middle of this journey, verse 6 says, “Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time” (NLT). They tried to go somewhere else to preach, but were also prevented. It must have seemed strange to them that God prevented them from doing what He called them to, but then Paul had a dream of a man in Macedonia asking him to come. God opened that door and they planted churches in Philippi, Corinth and Thessalonica. These churches became important to the growth of the Church in that area and we received five letters from Paul in the New Testament to them teaching us how to live.

Psalm 32:8 says, “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” The thing about guides and advisers is that we can listen to them, but then have the choice of whether or not we follow their advice. Paul didn’t understand why God prevented him from going to where he planned, but he trusted God’s guidance and advice. The things God asks us to do or even tries to prevent us from doing may not make sense in the moment, but we must remember He has a better perspective of our life. He can see what’s down the road and not just what’s right in front of us. If God is saying, “No,” right now, trust Him. It may not coincide with your plans or even your expectations of what He’s called you to in the moment. Trust the One who watches over you. He had the best pathway for your life.

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June 24, 2024 · 5:42 AM

Becoming Grateful

McDonald’s exponentially increased their sales and revenues by teaching their employees to ask one simple question. Would you like fries with that? When combo meals became a thing, they then asked, “Would you like to supersize that?” These questions were so successful that companies across industries try to replicate it. Almost everyone said yes to them. It works so well because it preys on our inability to be satisfied or content. People didn’t question the cost of fries or however much a supersize was. They considered it insignificant in exchange for getting more. Learning to be content is something we each need to work on.

In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul explained the value of knowing jesus and how important it is in comparison to the things the world values. In chapter 3, he then goes on to say that he’s a work in progress like we all are. In the next chapter he thanks them for their concern for him. Then in verse 11-12 he tells them to secret to life. He wrote, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (NLT). We too must learn to be content and to fight the constant need for more. When we learn to be content, gratitude begins to grow in our lives.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul wrote, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” When we have an attitude of gratitude in ever circumstance we’re in, our perspective changes. Finding things to be grateful for in hard times and learning to be content whether we have a little or a lot reveal our level of trust in God. Do you really believe He is all you need? Do you believe He is your provider? We learn to be content and grateful when we learn to value what God offers is worth more than anything in this world. Not only are there spiritual benefits, but there are psychological benefits as well when we learn these two things. When we’re content and grateful, we’re saying that God has given us what we need and we aren’t lacking anything. Happiness isn’t found in having more things. It’s found in having an attitude of gratitude and contentment.

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June 12, 2024 · 5:43 AM

Remain Faithful

After having gone through a difficult season, I asked my son how he was feeling and what was he thinking about it. He immediately said he didn’t understand why things happened as they did because we had fasted and prayed for a different outcome. He then said, “It makes me question if God really exists.” I began to explain how trials and tests can cause us to question His existence at times because we don’t understand. It can also cause us to question if our prayers are heard and other things as well. What matters is we push through our feeling of the moment and grab onto the reality of who He is. I reminded him of the time God supernaturally answered our prayers and times He’s specifically showed up. I let him know we all go through moments like that at times when we’re going through trials. It’s important to refocus on what God has done so we can remain faithful.

In Luke 22:31, Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff” (GNT). What Peter didn’t know was his world was going to crumble that night. He would also deny knowing Jesus three times. Jesus then said, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers.” Jesus prayed for Peter, and He also intercedes for us in our moments of testing. Peter beat himself up pretty badly for failing in the test the way he did, but that wasn’t the end. He did turn back and remained faithful and led the Early Church. His failure in the test, like ours, is not the end.

James 1:12 says, “Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.” Everyone will face tests because Satan wants to sift us and cause us to doubt our faith making us ineffective. He wants us to return to our old life, but Jesus is praying for you that your faith won’t fail. He’s waiting to restore you and strengthen you. It’s in times of testing we find out where we truly stand. Sometimes we pass with flying colors and other times we’re left questioning everything. It’s good to keep a journal of what all God has done so you can remind yourself of the faithfulness of God in those moments. When we remain faithful and make it through the trial, God will give us more of His abundant life He promised us and we will receive the crown of life.

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May 20, 2024 · 5:43 AM

Faith Beyond The Moment

I’m a pretty big sports fan. Most of the time my radio is tuned to a sports station discussing my teams. I have to say though that we sports fans can be the worst when it comes to our teams. When they’re winning, everyone thinks this is their year. When they start losing, it’s the end of the world and they need to fire everyone. That’s pretty different for a coach or leader. They don’t judge the team or the players by the results. They know the players and believe in them beyond the scoreboard of a game. They know what they’re capable of, keep them in position and continue to trust them beyond the win loss column. Faith trusts the person more than the result.

In Genesis we read the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a child. They were beyond child bearing years when the promise was made. However, they decided to trust God. Then a year went by, and nothing. Two. Three. Five. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty years and still no answer. They continue to believe God beyond the time gap and the barrenness. Twenty five years after the promise, God answered by giving them a son. Hebrews 11:11 reflects on the faith of Sarah by saying, “Sarah’s faith embraced God’s miracle power to conceive even though she was barren and was past the age of childbearing, for the authority of her faith rested in the One who made the promise, and she tapped into his faithfulness” (TPT). Her faith rested in God and not in the results of her present situation.

Jeremiah 17:7 says, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (NLT). Is your faith in God or in His answers to your prayers? There’s a difference. One is placed in the One who is able to do exceedingly above and beyond our expectations and one is based on the results we see today. Will you continue to trust Him even if the outcome isn’t what you were praying for? Or are you like a sports fan whose faith is on,y as deep and the results? Blessed are those whose faith, hope and confidence rests in the One who is able to even when He doesn’t answer our way or is slow to make good on His promises. Faith is still trusting even when nothing is lining up the way you expect or want it to. Let your trust go beyond the moment you’re standing in and embrace God’s miracle power so you can judge Him faithful no matter what.

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May 9, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Worship In The Valley

Two of the biggest lies we hear when we’re going through a difficult time is that no one else understands and that God doesn’t care. I remember hearing both and believing them. The first one tries to get you on a technicality because there is no one else with your exact situation. I’ve found that while our situations may be unique, the pain and the process we go through is very similar. While someone may not be able to fully understand my exact situation, they can identify with the pain. That leads us to the second lie that God doesn’t care. The lie wants you to think that if God cared, you wouldn’t be going through so much. The truth is that even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He’s there with you to guide you and comfort you. He makes all things work together for our good.

I don’t know anyone who went through as much as Paul or Job. Job lost everything including his wealth, his kids and property. He still was able to worship God in that moment. In Job 2:9, when his wife told him to curse God and die, he responded, “Shall we accept good from God and not the trouble?” (NIV) When Paul was thrown in prison with Silas after having been beat, he invited God’s presence into the deepest, darkest part of that prison in the middle of the night by singing praises. When both of these men felt abandoned by people and God, they worshipped knowing that God dwells in the praises of His people. They held to the truth that God cares for us no matter how bad things may seem.

Psalm 31:7 says, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul” (NLT). In the darkest nights of my life, the most painful times, I turned on praise and worship music to help me worship when I didn’t feel it. God is worthy of our praise no matter what it is we’re going through. He sees the anguish in our soul and He cares deeply for us. He knows that the pain, the hurt, the sadness and the darkness will only last for a little while. He never leaves us in those times though He may feel far away. He’s there leading us into a greater joy and life that often goes through the darkest valley. Don’t listen to the lies and despair. Listen to the truth and worship.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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May 7, 2024 · 5:48 AM

Getting Some Rest

Did you know that humans are the only mammals to put off sleeping? We stay late, get up early and work ourselves to death. It’s no wonder the coffee industry will do more than $350 billion in sales in the US alone. The energy drink market is over $20 billion a year. We’re caffeinating ourselves to wake up and stay awake throughout the day because we’re missing rest. I’ve worked for a company that valued long hours. They wanted people in debt because it meant they had a reason to work. When we work so hard and rest so little, we can forget that God is our provider. I’m not against hard work or coffee or making a good living. We just need to be careful of what we’re sacrificing and what our motivation for it is.

Jesus worked hard too. He grew up understanding hard work as a carpenter. He carried that over into His ministry. He even got tired and exhausted from the work God called Him to. John 4:6 says that Jesus was tired and sat down next to a well to rest. That’s when He met the Samaritan woman. In Matthew 8, we read the story where Jesus was asleep on a boat. They had to wake Him up to calm the storm. He took time to rest even though He was about His Father’s business. He also trusted God to give He and the disciples their daily bread. Luke 8:3 tells us the names of several people who contributed to the Jesus to provide for His needs so He could minister. He was able to rest and trust God to take care of His needs.

Psalm 127:2 says, “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep” (GNT). Don’t let worry or work continuously rob you of rest. God rested after a week of work and even made taking a rest one of the Ten Commandments. Our bodies and minds were not created to go 24/7. What is the motivation behind staying up late and working hours that are longer than normal? Is it the praise of people? Is it that you see yourself as your provider? It’s good to be a driven individual. Just watch your motivation. Man looks at the outside, but God is looking at your heart. You are to be a good steward of your time, your energy, your body and your money. Ask God to give you wisdom in how to be a good steward in all these areas and to trust Him to provide even when you sleep.

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May 6, 2024 · 5:40 AM

The Lesson Of Contentment

One of the hardest things to learn is contentment. Last week we watched the movie “Unsung Hero” about the Smallbone family. The father lost everything, including their house, when a concert tour he was promoting flopped. He was promised a job in the US, so he moved his family here only to find out it wasn’t a sure thing. The rented a house, but had no car, no food and no furniture. They made a chart of prayer requests for their needs and as God answered their prayers, they moved them over. The kids were content with nothing, but the dad struggled with it seeing their situation as a reflection of him. His discontentment led to depression and family arguments. Discontentment affects relationships horizontally with people and vertically with God.

Job in the Bible was one of the wealthiest people of his time. He had everything you could want. He had land, resources, a family that he loved and lots of employees. When Satan approached God to accuse people, God pointed out Job and his contentment. Satan said that he was only content because of God’s blessings and protection. When Satan took everything from Job in a day, we read how Job fell to the ground and worshipped. He prayed in Job 1:21, “Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb, And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (AMP). He had possessions, but they didn’t have him. Because he recognized that everything he had was from God, he was able to be content even with nothing.

Paul had learned a similar lesson. In Philippians 4:12, he explained, “I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need.” That secret is contentment. Simply put, contentment is submitting to God’s plan even when your circumstances are not ideal. This doesn’t mean you don’t have ambition to improve your life or circumstances. It’s an attitude like Job’s that recognizes what you have has been entrusted to you by God for this moment. Are you stewarding it well? Are you content with what He’s given you? Or is your discontentment affecting your relationships? The secret to facing life in any circumstance is contentment.

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April 25, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Close To God

If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, you’ve probably visited the Western Wall. It is what’s left of a retaining wall built on the Temple Mount to create a flat area to add more buildings around the Temple. I’ve been to the wall a few times to pray. On my last couple of trips over there, I’ve been able to go underground where the foundation of the Temple is. There’s a long corridor running beside it. As we moved down that hall, we came to a place where these women were praying. Our guide informed us that this was the closest spot to where the Holy of Holies was, and that these women come there to pray instead of praying above ground at the wall. In the Jewish culture, God’s presence is found in the Holy of Holies and the closer you are to that point, the closer you are to God. In the Old Testament, all of Israel would come to Jerusalem for the feasts and to pray so that they could be close to God and be heard.

In Ephesians 2, Paul was addressing people with this mindset. In verse 13, he wrote, “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (NLT). The phrase “far from God” in that culture had a two fold meaning. People that lived outside of Jerusalem were considered far from God which is why they visited Jerusalem so often. They wanted to be close to God. There are times that you and I feel like we’re far from God. It’s like He can’t hear our prayers. We can’t feel His presence. We even feel isolated and alone. We all go through these feelings of being far from God, but the truth is that God never leaves us. In fact, He’s made His home in our lives so that He will be with us always.

Paul went on to try to change their mindset about the presence of God as the chapter continued. He ended it with, “God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!” (TPT) You and I have become the Holy of Holies because He dwells in us. When those feelings come that we are far from God and makes us believe He doesn’t hear us, declare this verse over your life. Your feelings will lie, but God’s Word never will. You are never far from God because you are the host of His presence. You don’t have to go anywhere special for Him to hear your prayers. He hears every prayer, spoken or silent. God is close to you today, listening to you, walking with you and working things out for your good despite what your feelings are telling you. Push past those feelings asking God to let you sense His presence today. You are closer to Him than you think.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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