Hope for Our Future

Basking in the life, the presence and the Word of God are essential for the authentic Believer's well-being. Our body and soul cry out for our living God (Psalm 84:2).

God's presence is the only commodity, which will satisfy our longing and fill our hungry soul - our thoughts, choices and emotions (Psalm 107:9).

People fail to devote their whole life and soul to God for many reasons, including living in the whirlwind of vocation, pleasure, family issues, material possessions, etc.  Some are even riddled with doubt, debt and cynicism.

These are all modern idols and false gods. When we serve false gods, God sends plagues of all types in order to get our attention; yet, we often harden our heart all the more.

We view trials as punishment, rather than the Surgeon's skilled knife which brings repentance of sin and complete healing to areas of our life where Satan lied to us.

God desires to fulfill His glorious promises in us, which are full of mercy, grace and truth. His plans bring us prosperity rather than punishment, and they give us a hopeful future (Jeremiah 29:10-11).

However, we must first return to our first love, to pray for forgiveness for our sins and to call on Him. Then, He will listen to us. When we seek Him with our whole body, soul and spirit, we will always find Him (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

In God's everlasting arms, we enter His rest because He provides us with hope for our future, security for our spirit and peace for our soul. There is always hope in the Lord.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for allow us to rest in Your everlasting embrace. You provide us with Your peace as we walk in Your Spirit, guidance as we consult You each moment of the day, and joy as we abide in Your presence within us. You restored us to Yourself and we glorify Your name and love You with all of our heart.

We live our life in worship to You, seeking first Your Kingdom rather than building our own kingdom (Matthew 6:33). We consult You in all of our ways and we want to do only Your will for our life. We make You our top priority in life and we diligently seek You in times of peace and turmoil alike.

Thought for the Day:

God never promises us a struggle free life; in fact, He made it clear that we would experience many trials and tribulation; yet, He always gives us His peace, which helps us to stay focused on Him rather than to depend on our own human understanding. - John 16:33; Philippians 4:7

Living in Contentment

 

God equips us to live in His abundant life, but we do not recognize it, because we are too worried about some aspect in our worldly life. We want this person, place or thing more than we want to live in the will of God.

In my walk with the Lord, I have learned that if I do not have something I think that I need, or that I want so much that it consumes my every waking and sleeping thought, it is because God does not want me to have it.

God protects us by withholding from us what is not good for us at this time. If I go out and procure my desire for myself, if I settle for second best and choose my way instead of God's way, I am always disappointed and I cause trouble for myself.

If I focus instead on loving God with each moment, He will provide for me what I need in order for me to accomplish His will for my life. In His provision, which He gives me in His way and timing, I find complete fulfillment, peace and joy.

God has a perfect plan for our life. Altering that plan will bring us discontentment, suffering and unhappiness. He supplies us with His church and the world around us to give us opportunities to serve Him, which helps us to find pure joy in our day.

There is a time for grief in our life too. We can journal our feelings, allow our tears to wash away our grief and tuck our thoughts and feelings in the heart of God for His safe keeping.

I actually purchased a heart-shaped box and I write all of my desires and concerns on little slips of paper in that box. Then when I think about them again, I remind myself that they are in the heart of God, and He will care for them for me (1 Peter 5:7).

I review my little box from time to time and write the date that God answered that prayer and supplied those needs in His timing and way. This builds up my faith and also prevents me from living in torment from overwhelming grief and worries which I cannot control.

Prayer:

Father God, when we are consumed by longings for what we do not have, we are actually insulting You and Your provision for our life. We beg You, quote scriptures at You and attempt to control You by having faith in what we interpret as Your promises. Teach us to enter Your rest and to trust in Your provision.

You are sovereign over the world and our life. You give us what You want us to have when You want us to have it. Remind us that as we seek You and Your Kingdom first, You will provide us with what we require, even if it is often not what we think we want. Your provision is always better than our desires, because You know what is best for us and You have our best interest at heart.

Thought for the Day:

If our faith in God is vibrant, and full of awe and expectation, we will be open to move into the deeper waters of faith and committed service to Him, as we allow Him to provide for us what we need to live in fulfillment and contentment.