We wake believing in our God. Our attitude is set upon Him. Our focus is sure and steady. But what happens when easy is no longer our day and difficulty explodes around us? If we aren't careful everything about us changes. Doubt floods our soul. Anxiety mountains over us. Anger erupts into a volcano of hot red. What just happened? In a split second everything in us has just gone from praise on our lips to a countenance of dismay.
Our Lord is sovereign. There isn't anything that touches our lives that He doesn't intricately in every detail. This is where we encounter faith head on. This is where we experience peace in the storm. This is where we witness the glory of God moving on our behalf.
His peace surpasses our understanding. Where we are limited, our God is not. His glory exceeds every impossible. In our trials His presence remains faithfully bright. He will forever light our way even when things appear hopeless. There is no hopeless in our God. He is the very essence of hope.
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Through the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls-yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:17-19
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." Jude 24-25
He loves us so. He isn't just going to be present on those easy days. How many of those easy days do we forget to say, "Good morning, Lord"? When things go bleak we cry out to our God. Friends, He isn't punishing us. He never loves us any less than the His greatest love for us right this very minute. He hasn't brought us this far to just leave us. Whatever circumstances enter our paths He wants that path to lead directly to Him.
May we never miss an opportunity to give Him praise. He will grow in us a mighty faith that this world can take witness of and see that in those moments when we could cut and run, we remain taking hold of our faith in our mighty God that turns the impossible to possible.
"I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live." Psalm 146:2
"While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18
He has a way of illuminating Himself through our lives when we choose to allow the invitation of Him to transform our doubts into a walking-believing faith that He has the power to surpass all our expectations with His unlimited resources that come only from the Father.
I have been there with you. Waking to take hold of all His glory and give praise, but in those next few minutes the phone rings and all that praise is quickly running into the disturbing call our hears just heard. Tears flow, anger boils, and now we have allowed that praise to drain out of us, leaving us now susceptible to the world around us.
It is in those moments our doubts begin to overshadow all we know to be true. Let us make room for God to show Himself. Let us focus on Him and not the difficulty before us. Let us anchor ourselves in His strength and promises of unfailing love. In this we exchange our doubting attitude for an attitude of courage and hope that we can face anything up ahead as long as our God is leading the way.
"The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:26
"Even to your old age and gray hair I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4
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