Once we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation (Acts 16:31), God is our heavenly Father. He disciplines those whom He loves; therefore, adversity is often a blessing in disguise, prodding us back onto the straight and narrow path that God designed for our safety and blessing (Proverbs 3:11-12).
If our life is not centered in and upon the Lord Jesus Christ, then we feel anxious, restless, and often frightened. Yet, as we call out to God in prayer, He showers us with His mercy, grace, contentment, peace and joy – regardless of our circumstances.
Once we turn our life to Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, but to righteousness (Romans 6:15-23). We choose God as our Master rather than Satan (John 3:18). God’s conviction purifies our heart, changes our thoughts and strengthens our spirit. His Spirit dislodges the roots of all of our carnality and sin.
We can endure the most severe persecution and suffering, because we know that He abides within us and that nothing and no one will ever deprive us of the depth, width, span and height of His love (Romans 8:35-39). We give our cares to the Lord, because we know without a doubt that He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7).
We can even withstand temptation, because the Lord will give us a way of escape from it (1 Corinthians 10:13). His grace is always available to us if we are wise enough to cling to it (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). In that moment of temptation, changing the focus of our thoughts from our issues to God’s will for us will enable us to draw from His grace.
God will even heal us from the abuse that we suffer on this earth, which causes so many of our negative emotions, bad habits, addictions, and psychological damage. We learn to trust in Him, to garner our esteem and identity from Him, to change our behavior toward others, and to heal the breaches we caused in many of our relationships.
Prayer:
Father God, You love those who trust in You without the boundaries of fear, and through every circumstance, challenge and difficulty. Your favor and faithfulness are not only for us, but also for our children and their children throughout each generation that serves You, keeps Your principles, walks in Your directions through Your Spirit, and obeys Your precepts (Psalm 103:17).
We want to grow in Your grace (2 Peter 3:18), flourish in Your presence within us, and make a difference for Your Kingdom on the earth. Teach us to walk in Your ways, so that You know that we love You, and so that we and our descendants will benefit from our relationship with You (John 14:15-23; Psalm 105:8; Deuteronomy 7:9; Exodus 20:6). You are good and upright, and we love You with every fiber of our being.
Thought for the Day:
God’s pathway is not steep or exhausting or burdensome, but easy and light, and He shows us what is good and what He requires of His children; He expects us to act justly, to love His mercy, to show His grace to others, and to walk humbly in His presence all the days of our life.
- 1 John 5:3; Matthew 11:28-30; Micah 6:8
