Encouragement While Enduring

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“… when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8

Encouragement comes in many ways, although sometimes it may be harder to see than at other times. Some days it may seem you are easily floating, while others, you are barely treading, fighting to keep your head above the waters. So, what do you do when life doesn’t seem to want to play fair, when you’re having a rough go at it, gasping for breath, and the days just seem off and hard to deal with?

Unfortunately, we were never promised an easy road to victory. Oh, my friends, how I wish it were so. Instead, much of the walking we do in this life is on the pavers of difficult days and decisions.

The truth of the matter is that this life we are living can and will be rough and difficult to navigate, even dark at times, but getting through it, we must, and we will. But how we get through it (trudging grudgingly or with a joy that refuses to be extinguished) will depend on where we focus and what we choose to fill our minds and hearts with (Philippians 4:8).

And that is where we start. It’s never about where we are now. It’s never about the circumstances that surround us; it is about who or what has our attention in the middle of those circumstances, for that will help us to keep the proper focus. Micah kept his focus on God, knowing and proclaiming, “… when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8

Yes, their situation was not ideal. Yes, it was difficult, and enemies were a real thing. The thing he knew, and what we must constantly remind ourselves of, is that the God of our faith is greater than all. And no matter how dark the days may seem, He is the Light that will never stop shining: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).

To help you stay encouraged in your times of enduring, I have compiled a list of several articles that will encourage your faith and prayerfully fuel you with strength as you are holding on through whatever season you may currently be in. Because, even in the face of trials and the things we just don’t understand, when God is our focus, we can always remain hopeful. He is our everlasting, sure Light.

Where do you need an extra dose of encouragement today? Spend time meditating and clinging to Micah and David’s faith-instilled truth about the Lord being our light in the dark days. May their declarations of faith help to anchor your hope and be your declaration of faith today.

Father God, we may not always understand everything we are facing. We are asking You to help us keep our walk, our faith, and our hearts steadfastly upon You and Your plan for our lives, no matter what our days are like. Thank You for so lovingly being our Light. Amen.

Encouragement While Enduring Articles:

“Before there was Egypt, there was a promise!”

While troubling times can be discouraging, don’t give up. Before there were ever hard times to deal with, God already had a plan of blessing in place. Before there was even an Egypt experience, God had a promise in the works.

“Focus Shift!”

Perspective changes one’s outlook on a lot of things in life. It’s all in how you look at it.

“Hold on to your hope…”

Believe that God loves you more than you could ever know and what He has in store for you . . . one can only imagine. Don’t focus on what you see today because it is only temporary but there is a glorious, eternal future as we move onward and upward toward our heavenly home (2 Corinthians 4:18).

“God is Forever Faithful!”

Don’t measure God’s faithfulness by your present circumstances. God never promised the absence of hardship or adversity in our Christian walk. But what He did promise, in His faithfulness, to be in it all the way with you (Matthew 28:20). Therefore, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised),” Hebrews 10:23.

“Never Too Strong for God!”

There is no weight too heavy that God can’t lift it! There is no enemy too strong that God can’t overcome them! There is no miracle too miraculous that God can’t cause it to come to pass! There is nothing too hard for God in any situation, problem, or adversity we may face!

“Navigating Thorny Places”

We all deal with thorny or hurtful places in our lives. Learn how Paul and Jesus dealt with their thorny places so that God can continue to work His strength through you.

“Only One Option”

Life gives us two options: stop where we are now and walk away, or keep moving forward until our destination is reached. Giving up is not an option. The steadfastness and commitment of our Christian journey are more than obtaining worldly goals. It is a continual pressing onward and upward toward the kingdom of God, and in that, we want to take others along for this wonderful spiritual pilgrimage.

“Take it to the Cross”

Every worry and every fear, take it and leave it at the foot of that blood-stained banner that was raised for our freedom, and find all that you need at the cross.

Journeys

Friend, as we are drawing closer to the end of this year, contemplating days and times past, realize through it all our Heavenly Father has been present, even when we could not comprehend everything or feel Him. Journeys take us through many avenues of life – some roads bring pleasure and some pain. But the journey we take with Him shall never be in vain. With God, we are never forsaken or need to feel dismayed. He is our ever-present Rock to stand up and Refuge to tuck ourselves away when the cares of this life seem too much. God, our Heavenly Father, loves you. Look to Him when you can’t figure it out. He’s there, and He’s waiting: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

~ Word for Life Says

Change Your Perspective

“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4

Is the glass half empty or half full? This question determines whether one is a pessimist or an optimist.

How we view things determines how we categorize them, and how we categorize them determines how we deal with them.

For those in the early church, the persecution they encountered could have been categorized as disastrous. The afflictions they faced brought real suffering, and decisions had to be made for individuals to leave their homes and places of comfort and flee. But in the fleeing, something amazing happened: Their faith went with them.

The cause of Christ that burned within refused to be extinguished. Rather, through the hardships they dealt with, it found a place to grow.

In the scattering of the faithful, more people were introduced to Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The situations you face today may not be pleasant, and you may not fully understand how it can work out for your good (Romans 8:28), but God does, and He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Ephesians 3:20).

Father God, I may not understand everything I encounter today, but I know that You always have my best in mind, and it is in Your hands I place my trust. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, I pray, AMEN.

God’s Omniscient View

In dealing with any adverse condition, circumstance, or trouble one thing’s for sure: God knows all about it and He has the final say! This was proven at the beginning of the book of Job when He limited what Satan could do (see Job 1:12 and Job 2:6) and at the end when God commanded a double blessing over Job’s life (see 42:10) and we see that “The LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning . . .” (Job 42:12a).

But what about the in-between?  That’s the hard thing about trying to hold on while going through the trials of this life isn’t it?  We don’t know the outcome as we are traveling through those difficult times. How awesome would it be to see the beginning from the end; yet, that would not allow our faith to be exercised and stretched, for the Bible says, “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7) and “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

While we may not be able to see or even understand everything we are dealing with or going through; while we may not have an omniscient overview of our life, God does.  He is omniscient meaning He is all-knowing.  The Bible lets us know, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).  There are no limits to what He knows, sees, or understands.

Isaiah 46:10 also reassures us that God is, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”  In other words, to reiterate my previous statement: “God has the final say” and His purposes for our lives will stand because He is the only one who knows all about it!

Be encouraged today, my friend, knowing that God’s got this no matter how chaotic, difficult, hurtful, or wrong it seems right now.  He, in His divine sovereignty, sees it all and has it all under control.  His view of our life is so much better than our own.  Hold on and trust the God who is infinitely all-knowing.

Have a very blessed day!

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