Have
you ever noticed how God protects His Saints through every affliction and in
every way? We suffer, but are never defeated; pressured, but not disheartened;
attacked, but never devastated.
At
times, circumstances rev-up beyond our ability to endure. Our body aches, conflicts
plague us from the outside, and fears afflict us from within our soul.
Possibly, we are even weary from life and longing for Heaven.
In
the midst of any suffering that we experience on this earth, we recognize the
symptoms of the death of Jesus in our body; but we also see the life of
Christ's resurrection manifested in our spirit, soul and body as well.
God
always uses His Word to provide us with comfort, direction and peace. His love
prevents life from hurting us so much. Although, at times, we are pressed in
from all sides, issues will never crush us (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
Life
may frustrate us, but it can never take away our hope. Christ in us is our hope
of glory (Colossians 1:27). As we listen to God's Spirit, He directs each
moment of our day and night, and He fills us with overflowing stamina until we
soar with the eagles (Isaiah 40:31)
Hoping
in the Lord alone eliminates our weariness, enabling us to continue on without
feeling faint. He renews our strength to finish the work, which He calls us to
do. Although trouble surrounds us on every side, we live in victory through
Jesus.
Prayer:
Father
God, success is sweeter after we experience trials, which test our intimacy
with You. You prove Your faithfulness to us at every challenge. You provide for
our needs in all of our requests, and You love us unconditionally. When life
gets too hard for us, we always know that You are abiding in us, and we can do
all things through Your strength (Philippians 4:13).
You
walk with us through every hardship, encourage us in every disappointment, and
comfort us in every unexpected trauma. You give us wisdom to face every
challenge, and You provide Your power to see us through every difficulty. You
shower us with Your joy, which is always our source of strength (Nehemiah
8:10).
Thought
for the Day:
Remembering
that God is in control through all of our circumstances gives us confidence
that there truly is a seed for a miracle in every trial (2 Corinthians 1:8-9);
and when our faith is tested, we have a chance to grow in spiritual maturity
and in our reliance on Him (James 1:2-4).
