Our loving and caring Daddy God continually comforts His people (Isaiah 40:1). We have no reason to be afraid of persecution and trauma perpetuated on us by mere mortals, because they wither like grass (Isaiah 51:22). God is always available to comfort His children in the same way that a nurturing mother comforts her child (Isaiah 66:13).
Our trials give us the opportunity to prove that faith in God’s faithfulness to us is a foundation of our trust in Him. When we love God and allow patience to perfect us during our circumstances, God gives us His crown of life (James 1:12). We maintain our confidence in Him, and He richly rewards us.
God prepares His spiritual army much like our modern military trains soldiers. Trials are our “bootcamp.” We are much more able to have compassion and words of comfort for others who are experiencing similar hardships when we have experienced issues in our own life (Luke 22:31-32; 2 Corinthians 1:4).
In all our trials, our joy overflows due to God’s ministrations to us. We may feel disheartened occasionally, but our confidence in Him increases, and He fills us with His encouragement by His Spirit and His Body of Believers (2 Corinthians 7:4, 7:6-7). Those who impose evil on us are eventually ashamed because they see how the Lord encourages and blesses His Born Again Believers (Psalm 86:17).
Our behavior and our preference for sin disappoints and even angers the Lord, but when we repent and praise the Lord, his anger is quenched and turned away from us, and He lavishly comforts us (Isaiah 12:1). When we are hurting, sick, and broken, we can always pray and sing praises to God with gratitude in our heart.
We call for the leadership of our church family to anoint us with oil and to pray for us (James 5:14-15). God hears our prayers and delivers us from our trouble. He heals us from the inside out. He is always near to us in our brokenness and saves us when we are weary and crushed in our spirit (Psalm 34:17-20).
Prayer:
Father God, remind us that when we come to You with our heavy burdens and cares, You give us Your rest. We take Your yoke on our shoulders, because it is easy and light, rather than carrying the heavy, hard yoke of our own making. We want to learn from You and follow Your example of having a peaceful and humble heart, so our soul will enjoy Your rest both now and in eternity (Matthew 11:28-29).
When demonic forces attempt to deceive us and to tempt us to sin, discourage us with our past behavior, and inflict us with anguish in our body and soul, remind us to come to You for cleansing and pruning so we can bear much fruit for Your Kingdom. Thank you for the healing and cleansing us from our penchant to sin. We receive Your forgiveness through Jesus shed blood on Calvary’s cross. When we cry for help, You always hear us and deliver us through every trial we ever experience in our life (Psalm 34:17-20).
Thoughts for the Day:
Our soul makes her boast in the LORD, and the humble hear our testimony and gladly receive Christ as their Savior as well. Our flesh and heart may threaten to fail us when we are swamped by fear, but when we call on Him, God quickly gives us His strength for our heart and His provision for all the days of our life.
- Psalm 34:2-6; Psalm 73:26
