God Orchestrates All

With the current status of the world, it feels like everywhere we look there is so much uncertainty, tensions running high, anger, frustration and anxiety surrounding everyone right now. Not only because of what we’re being completely bombarded with on the news and media outlets, but people who are having to go through horribly painful situations personally, financially, with their loved ones and/or jobs. Incredibly difficult decisions are having to be made by so many. For someone like me who has a “helper” personality, I hate not knowing what to say or how to “make things better”. It hurts seeing it all & feeling it all.

It’s in times like these that we need to cling all the more to where our faith is anchored and bring to mind the promises found in Scripture.

We have a Savior who brings peace as He tells us in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus promises rest saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

And He promises to provide all that we need in Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what will you wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Still, we find ourselves afraid of the unknown, confused or upset when things don’t turn out the way we planned or hoped and wonder why it seems as though some prayers go unanswered. We are all human after all. We struggle to find the optimism & peace within difficult circumstances. You are not alone in how you are feeling and what you’re going through matters. Not only are there many others who are experiencing similar fears, questions and doubts, but Jesus being both fully God & fully human has also felt these very real emotions. When we think no one else can possibly understand, He does because He has been there too.

We can talk to Him about all of it and find refuge in spending time with Him. We also need to remember that through all of the madness, God is orchestrating something for a bigger purpose and even though it can be hard to trust when we’re in the middle of what seems like a mess to us, everything will come together for the ultimate good as Romans 8:28 assures us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

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You Can Overcome

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I feel completely defeated by the circumstances surrounding me, a seemingly endless flow of discouraging and downright sad headlines on the daily news and the countless disappointments that can suck the last drop of optimism out of you. As we get older and continue further on this journey of life, it gets harder and harder to hold on to hope and the idea that things will ever change for the better.

While we know there will always be hardship and tragedy in this world, there is also always faith to anchor our hearts to.

2 Corinthians 4:8 says “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

When we place our trust in the Savior and invest time into a relationship with Him, we have the promise that He will be there through every high, every low, every moment and every breath.

Jesus tells us in John 16:33 “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
With Jesus at the center of our lives, by our side and our belief firmly planted in Him, He is more than able to guide and equip us for everything that lies ahead.

1 John 5:5 reaffirms “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.”
while Romans 8:37 reminds us “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

You may be thinking, “But there’s so much bad out there…what difference can I possibly make?” We all have the ability to reflect the love that God has shown us through His grace in our words, actions and decisions as we encounter people in our everyday life. Showing kindness, respect and demonstrating a peaceful response to the negative forces against us is a great place to start.

Romans 12:21 urges us “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

It won’t always be the easiest choice to make and we certainly will not be able to ensure that our initial reaction will be the best one, but we are not alone in this battle as we face the attacks of the enemy in whatever form they take. We may feel completely blindsided, heartbroken and weak when trials come to test our faith, but it’s during these moments that we should remember the familiar words of truth found in Philippians 4:13 that declares “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Listen to the audio version below ⇓