Faith comes alive when the revelation of God’s goodness permeates your understanding.
God is Good All the Time
God is Good All the Time
Faith
You Never Know What God Has In Store For You, But It’s Always Better Than You Think
You never know why God picked a certain path for you even if it didn’t make sense to you or even if you thought that it was unfair or too painful. You never know why God made you fight certain battles alone or why he made you lose those battles. You never know why he picked someone else for something you wanted or a dream you wished for, but you should know that what he has in store for you is always way better than anything you could have imagined for yourself.
You never know why his delays or his timing or his plans did not align with yours, but you should know that with time, you are going to realize that you didn’t need what you wanted back then, that they were juvenile wishes or dreams from an unhealed or an immature version of you. You are going to change and evolve and your dreams and passions will change and you will thank God that you were not stuck with an old dream or an old story that would have been wrong for you.
You never know why God pushed you away from some people or pushed certain people away from you. It may not make sense at first, you may even feel like you lost an irreplaceable friend or partner or the love of your life, but you should know that only God knows what the future holds, and maybe down the line this friendship or relationship would have been toxic for you or would have made you suffer. You never know why God broke your heart or why he took the ones you loved away from you, but you should know that the reason behind every heartbreak is to somehow heal you in another way. Whether it’s self-love or inner strength or wisdom, one way or another, your heartbreak taught you something valuable about yourself or your life that you wouldn’t have learned otherwise.
You never know why God tested you with the things that meant the most to you or the things you thought you couldn’t live without, but you should know that every time you think you lost something special, God has something outstanding in store for you. Every time you go after a blocked road or a closed door, God has an even better one wide open for you. Every time you chase someone who doesn’t love you or appreciate you or someone who isn’t right for you, God is saving you from a lifetime of pain and regret because he has someone perfect for you.
The truth is, you never know what God has in store for you, but from what I have seen in my own life and what I have learned when my life didn’t go as planned, all along God had a totally different vision for my life, and now I know that what I wanted for myself would have destroyed me. You never know how many doors God is willing to close to protect you, but you also never know how many doors he’s willing to open to bless you with things you never even dreamed of.
Sooner or later you are going to realize that what God has in store for you is always better than anything you could have imagined for yourself.
Much credit goes to Rania Naim
Trust Me When I Say God Always Has A Plan
This is a guest repost.
Trust me when I say God knows what he’s doing. Even if you’re confused and you don’t know how you’re going to move forward or where you’re going to go, he will always open a new door for you. An unexpected door. A door that could lead you to a kind of happiness you never imagined. A door that puts an end to the hard days.
Trust me when I say God doesn’t take things away without giving you something better. God knows when something has served its purpose even if you can’t see it. God knows when things should end even if you’re not ready. God is planning what’s next for you because he knows that you need a change. He knows that he’s taking you to a better destination or guiding you to a more fulfilling life.
Trust me when I say God hears your prayers. He’s listening to you and he’s giving you exactly what you want but in his own way. Maybe his way is different from yours but his way is always the right way. When you ask for happiness and you find yourself drifting away from the people you love, he’s telling you that these are not the people to surround yourself with because they drain you. When you ask for peace and you lose your job, he’s telling you that your future is better somewhere else. When you ask for love and he gives you heartbreak, he’s telling you that you need to make a better choice. He’s telling you you’re loving the wrong people. He’s always answering your questions, you just need to trust his answers.
Trust me when I say God is looking out for you. It may not be easy to see at times and it might be impossible to understand why things happen the way they do but one thing I know for sure is that God won’t leave you alone in the dark. He will guide you. He will inspire you. He will rearrange things in your life so you can change your life.
Trust me when I say God wants you to count on him. He wants you to learn that people are unpredictable and they change their minds every second. He wants you to know that nothing in life is secure or complete. He wants you to know that there will be times when you’ll just have to count on your faith instead of your logic. He wants you to go through enough problems so you can have enough wisdom to know that he’s the only constant in this life and he’s the only one who can truly heal you.
Trust me when I say God always has a plan for you and that plan always includes what’s best for you.
Credit: Rania Naim
Image credit: Adobe Stock
You Never Know What God Has In Store For You, But It’s Always Better Than You Think
Guest post.
You never know why God picked a certain path for you even if it didn’t make sense to you or even if you thought that it was unfair or too painful. You never know why God made you fight certain battles alone or why he made you lose those battles. You never know why he picked someone else for something you wanted or a dream you wished for, but you should know that what he has in store for you is always way better than anything you could have imagined for yourself.
You never know why his delays or his timing or his plans did not align with yours, but you should know that with time, you are going to realize that you didn’t need what you wanted back then, that they were juvenile wishes or dreams from an unhealed or an immature version of you. You are going to change and evolve and your dreams and passions will change and you will thank God that you were not stuck with an old dream or an old story that would have been wrong for you.
You never know why God tested you with the things that meant the most to you or the things you thought you couldn’t live without, but you should know that every time you think you lost something special, God has something outstanding in store for you. Every time you go after a blocked road or a closed door, God has an even better one wide open for you. Every time you chase someone who doesn’t love you or appreciate you or someone who isn’t right for you, God is saving you from a lifetime of pain and regret because he has someone perfect for you.
The truth is, you never know what God has in store for you, but from what I have seen in my own life and what I have learned when my life didn’t go as planned, all along God had a totally different vision for my life, and now I know that what I wanted for myself would have destroyed me. You never know how many doors God is willing to close to protect you, but you also never know how many doors he’s willing to open to bless you with things you never even dreamed of.
Sooner or later you are going to realize that what God has in store for you is always better than anything you could have imagined for yourself.
Thank you Rania Naim for reposting this inspirational post on my platform.
Why You Will Give Birth To More In The Future Than What You’ve Lost In The Past
Hey guys,
It is a New Year and am happy we all scaled through. Last year might be challenging to most of us in various ways affecting our lives. All I believe in is that nothing is ever too late.
Don’t give up on yourself because God has not given up on you; He knows that He put seeds of greatness in you. You have something to offer that nobody else has. Everyone is unique in his/her own ways. He’s given you noble dreams and desires. Too often, however, we allow challenges, disappointments, and setbacks to daunt us, and before long, we find that we’re not pressing forward anymore. We’re not extending; we are have lost hope about making it in life.
Surprisingly, most people who are talented and gifted are the ones that go through unfortunate situations in life: abuse, divorce, and neglect, addiction, and many more. In this case, it is very easy for people to think, why am I unfortunate. Why is this happening to me?
Sad to say, the enemy knows something about what’s on the inside of you. He knows the power you carry, your potential, gifts, and purpose in life. He makes sure he does everything he can to stop the seed from germinating. He doesn’t want your dreams and talent to shine for the world to see. H e wants you to live a normal mediocre life that you will see satisfactory, instead of growing higher and enlarging your coast to a better fulfilling life.
But get this. God did not create anybody without putting something extremely valuable on the inside. Life will bring it’s storm through setbacks and disappointments. In the natural, you don’t know how to rise higher. You have to stand firm and know what you are worth, know what you have on the inside, know your right because you know who you are through Christ Jesus. I am full of I can do power, and am surely going to rise up even when I fall flat on the ground, I will surely rise again.
Remember when Paul the Apostle advised is protégé Timothy to “stir up the gift within you”. Similarly, you need to stir up your gifts, desires, talents, and dreams. Maybe these positive qualities are buried beneath depression, overthinking, and discouragement of people telling you that it is impossible; beneath fears, weaknesses, and failures.
But the good things of God are still present. You have to do your part digging them out.
This year will be your year of restoration.
Thanks to Joel Osteen for some key hints in this post.
Question That Needs Urgent Answers
Hey guys,
Is it possible for a Christian who is an Addict keep his/her faith strong, hoping for a turn around in his/her life?
Please comment below. This might help someone reading.
Thank you.
Be Thankful and Stop Complaining
As you waste your breath complaining about life, someone out there is breathing their last.
Now that is powerful!
We are in a world full of problems and complains. But in all circumstances as Christians we should be thankful instead of complaining. Philippians 4:6
If you going to complain about something, don’t bother praying about it- Joyce Meyer
Instead of complaining about every single thing happening in our daily lives, we should rather live in the moment and be thankful to God for the good things He has done in the past and present. Waking up in the morning is a blessing, you can see, talk, and smell is a blessing. You can walk around is a blessing. Complaining where you at now in life will not move you to the next level, instead it will keep you stagnant. The solution is thanking God and praising Him always.
The flesh needs serious discipline for our spiritual growth to stay woke. Everyday, when you feel like complaining. Go to the Father and ask what you can do to make the situation better. We need a vision and not complain.
Remember what God says;
- I will make a way for you.
- I am fighting your battles.
- Prayer is the best medicine.
- Trust my timing.
NB: Live more, complain less. Have more smiles, less stress, less hate, become more blessed.
The best word you can take from this post is: STAY HAPPY ALL THE TIME and avoid TROUBLE.
For more insight on this topic. You can read the book of Philippians (The whole book), 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, 1 Corinthians 10:9-11
Why (and How) God Tests Our Faith
Now that God has refined you, He’ll test your faith like gold. This is where a lot of believers become discouraged and give up.
When faced with a situation that tests your faith in God, how do you respond? Many times, our initial prayer is for God to deliver us from the situation. We may even beg Him for it. But I’ve learned that God doesn’t deliver us from a test because the purpose of the test is actually to deliver us.
It can be difficult to understand why a good and perfect God allows us to go through trying situations. The reason is simple: sanctification. God is transforming us into the image of His son, Jesus Christ. God tests us for our good; to develop our faith. Testing is not something we should despise because it’s a chance to show the genuineness of our faith and glorify our Lord.
Testing Reveals What is in Us
This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” – Malachi 3:3 NIV
The bible tells us that God refines and tests us like silver and gold. To understand what that looks like practically, you first have to understand how silver is refined. In short, the silversmith places the silver in a fire and watches it very carefully. He knows the silver is ready when he can clearly see his reflection (or image) in the metal.
When you’re in a trial or test, does God see His image and character in you? Or are your carnal ways of thinking still leading your behavior? Do you exhibit the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control,etc…) or are you led by your flesh? Will you doubt God or trust Him if a less qualified person is given the promotion you’ve been praying for? Do you slander that person’s name to everyone around you or do you ask God to remove the bitterness and still serve at your job as unto the Lord? When faced with a test, what is in you will come out of you. How we respond determines if God moves us forward in His will or allows us to spend a bit more time in our current season.
Testing Removes Impurities From us
As you grow in your faith you’ll begin passing more and more tests. It’s a great feeling, but even though you’re on the right track you shouldn’t get too comfortable. Now that God has refined you, He’ll test you like gold.
Gold is naturally impure. To purify it, the goldsmith must put into the furnace repeatedly. With each pass through the fire it becomes more pure. This is why there are different karats of gold (8,16,24). The higher the karat the more pure it is, with 24 karat being the purest. If we want our faith in God to pure and indestructible like gold, our faith has to go through the fire again and again. Although we’ve been made right with God through our faith in Jesus, the remnant of our sinful nature is still within us. Our sanctification doesn’t happen all at once, it’s a process.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. – 1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV
This is where a lot of believers become discouraged and give up. We don’t know when the tests will come, how long they will last, or how intense they will be. Like the Israelite’s in the desert, we can grow weary and start to believe God has forsaken us in the very place He brought us to. In our weakness and fear, we attempt to take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on God (See Exodus 32 NIV).
“If your faith doesn’t cost you anything it’s because it s not worth anything”
Your Faith Will Cost You
To follow Christ we must pick up our cross and deny ourselves. This requires dying to our own desires and ways of thinking. The tests we go through are design to kill our flesh so we learn to rely on the Holy Spirit. It’s a fight not to go back to self-medicating or finding our worth in a relationship. It’s a struggle to stay faithful at work when you’re being overlooked or discredited. Trials feels like the complete opposite of what life in Christ should be, but it’s not. The purpose of the test is to grow your faith, free you from bondage, and increase your dependency on God. Shallow beliefs and idols won’t last in the trial, they’ll will be ruined by the fire. Only what is true and pure will remain.
Friends, don’t fear the fire – the tests and trials. The fire isn’t designed to destroy you, but to remove everything that’s been holding you back from God’s perfect will. If you stay steadfast, you will glorify God and come to know His power in a brand new way. Your triumph will be a testimony to believers and unbelievers alike. Now this isn’t to say that it will get easier, but you will become stronger, wiser, and not as easily swayed by storms that come your way.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4 NIV
Source: Daily PS
Prayer Is The Motivation We Need Right Now
Dear Father,
Thank You that we get to be a part of Your global Church at this moment. Thank You for the opportunity to spread Your love and hope to a world living in darkness and despair.
Your Word says that if Your people humble themselves, turn away from wickedness, and call on Your name, that You will answer them and heal their land.
So we, Your people, are asking Your forgiveness for the times we’ve chosen not to love the people You put in front of us.
Allow this season to strengthen Your Church and to remind us of how much You love this hurting world.
Please heal our land and use us to meet the needs of others. Grow our faith as You grow Your global Church.
Come, Lord Jesus, and do what only You can do.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Let us spread Faith and not Fear.
Dear God, I’m Ready For My Miracle
I’m ready to pass the test. I’m ready for the final result. I’m ready to close the chapter of pain and loss. I’m ready to heal from my past heartbreak. I’m ready to close that door forever. I’m ready to put an end to the stormy days and the lonely nights. I’m ready for you to reveal to me the reasons behind my struggles. I’m ready for the blessings that you’ve kept me waiting for. I’m ready for the blessings that follow every hardship.
I’m ready to accept your blessings. I now feel like I deserve them. I now have faith in you and your plans. I will be able to cherish the blessings you bring me. I will be able to appreciate the little things and be grateful for them because I know how hard it was to get them. I know how hard it was without them. I’ve learned not to take your blessings for granted.
I’m ready for your miracle because I think I learned my lessons. I think I’m becoming the person you wanted me to become. I think I’m closer to you more than ever now. I know you’re my healer. I only run to you when I’m confused. I only talk to you when I’m sad. I’m ready for your miracle because I know you heard me and my prayers. I know you want to see me happy and I know you want what’s best for me and I’m ready for it. I’m the best version of myself these days and I am prepared to receive your best gifts.
I know this is my year. I know this is my time. I know this is the part of my story where everything changes for the better. I know this is the part of my story that takes me to a whole new universe.
Because you and I both know how hard the journey has been, how hard the past few years have been and how tired I am. We both know that I tried it all, fell down and got back up. We both know that things haven’t been easy or smooth. We both know that I almost gave up on myself and my life and we both know that I’ve used up all my energy and my strength to fight back and rise again. We both know that I only have very little left in me to fight or try again. We both know that anything more than that will be more than I can handle so this is where I leave it all up to you.
This is where I surrender to your power. This is where I sit back as you fight my battles. This is where I raise my hands and tell you that I’ve done my part and I can’t do this on my own anymore.
And I think, I believe , this is where you tell me that I’ve seen enough and dealt with enough and passed all your difficult tests so here’s my reward. Here’s my miracle. Here’s the blessings that will take all the pain away. Here’s the magic that happens when you have faith in me and allow me to finish your story. It’s always better than the one you had in mind. I’m full of beautiful surprises and I’m ready to unfold them to you one by one.
To everyone waiting and patient to recieve their breakthrough, I say to you today, your breakthrough is here already. Open your hearts and recieve it by faith!
Struggling will make you stronger
Once upon a time, a man found a butterfly that was starting to hatch from its cocoon. He sat down and watched the butterfly for hours as it struggled to force itself through a tiny hole. Then, it suddenly stopped making progress and looked like it was stuck.
Therefore, the man decided to help the butterfly out. He took a pair of scissors and cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man thought nothing of it, and he sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. However, that never happened. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with small wings and a swollen body.
Despite the man’s kind heart, he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small hole were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings to prepare itself for flying once it was free.”
The struggle is over in your life in Jesus name, Amen.
No Matter The Circumstances I Go Through, God Is Still Good
Dear God,
I may not understand everything that’s happening in my life right now, but I’m choosing to hold on to the fact that everything has a purpose. I may be overwhelmed with questions as to why certain things are happening in my life, but my faith is not dependent on my feelings. This season of pain and struggle in my life is proof that You are still good and You are with me every step of the way.
I know that I have a lot of questions filled with doubt and fear, and I’m trying my best not to have the urge to control the outcomes of my life. No matter how hard I pray or how hard I try to control outcomes, I know I’ll end up more frustrated because You are the one in control of everything. Despite the fact that everything doesn’t make sense and it’s easy to be overwhelmed with darkness, I know that You are the light I need to get through this season of my life.
God, I am truly sorry for the times when I thought that if I prayed hard enough, you would change the outcome of a situation in my life. I’m truly sorry for thinking that prayer is a form of manipulation when in truth, prayer should be a form of showing You just how much I love you, despite my pain and heartbreak. I am truly sorry for the times when I lost my faith when You refused to answer my prayer. I know that You have a purpose in everything that happens and I will just choose to hold on to You even tighter because of this. Most of all, I’m truly sorry for all the times when I blamed You and cried to You for thinking that You didn’t care about the pain I’m going through. I know You care. In fact, You care so much for us that You made the ultimate sacrifice and let Your son die for us to save us from our sins, and that is the purest form of love.
The truth of the matter is that struggles show us more about our faith than we’ll ever know. I know that despite things not going the way as planned, my faith will continue to have a foundation that is stronger than anything.
My God, you are stronger than every giant and every struggle that I’m ever going to overcome. You are stronger than every feeling of darkness, desperation, hopelessness, and fear. You are stronger than depression, than cancer, than any illness that comes into our lives. You are far greater than everything that is bound to destroy us.
You are the God of outcomes and You are the God of miracles and breakthroughs, and no amount of pain can ever change that.
Thank you Jesus for everything!
Credit and dedicated to: Dorothy Anne Field.
The Truth About Difficult Times You’re Facing in Life
Every one of us goes through difficult times in our lives. But, that’s not a bad thing. Here’s the truth about difficult times in your life
Are you facing difficult times in your life right now? Many Christians view these trialing seasons as the work of the enemy and not the work of God. As far as I can see, this is not a biblical truth. Yes, there is an element to trial that involves our sinful nature, fleshly desires, spiritual warfare, and the chaos and insanity of this world.
I know many of you who are reading this have suffered greatly. You have seen and experienced that which you would not wish on your worst enemy. I know that. I have too. The pain and brokenness you have faced was not the work of God.
But our God is the God of Salvation; the God that makes all things new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Remember that God allowed Job to go through trials that he may give an example of faith to the generations. Promise after promise in the Bible assures us that God uses trial to create greater faith in us, steadfastness, perseverance, a more Christ-like character.
James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
The truth about difficult times in your life
No one enjoys difficult times in life; there’s no secret there. During these times is when a person’s true character is revealed. Following Jesus is easy while you’re at church. It’s also easy when everything is going our way in life. But what about when following Jesus costs us something?
Sometimes God must allow us to come to the end of our strength because it is only then that we learn to rely on His Grace, which is the power to be the men and women He is calling us to be.
The beauty of God’s Mercy is that if we will hold on to Him, if we continue to follow Jesus, even when everything is screaming on the inside and outside, our worse, when we are mediocre and complacent, he uses the darkness of this broken world to create something priceless in us: Steadfast faith that will lead us to Eternity with God.
It’s only when we understand the truth about difficult times in life that we begin to receive refreshment from God. Only by persevering in the face of trial, do we receive the crown of life.
In closing, here are a few encouraging bible verses that help us understand the truth about difficult ties in our lives and what they actually mean.
“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.” Romans 8:28
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
What difficult time have you been through in life that has prepared you for where you are today?
Joshua Delp always gives me something to hang on to when am really down. I appreciate this brother for allowing me share with others how encouraging it is to enjoy the season of trials, believing the situation is not permanent.
Why Your Dreams Require Band-Aids
This is a true life inspirational experience and story.
Fulfilling a dream is a lot like surfing. We fall a lot. But when we honor God with our dreams, He remains with us through the highs and lows.
You have a dream, right? So do I. We probably have more than one, maybe even dozens. If your dream isn’t brand new and you’ve started taking steps to pursue it, you’ve likely discovered that the path to fulfillment is something like the field of poppies that Dorothy had to cross to reach the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.
Those poppies sure look pretty, but [spoiler], the wicked witch has poisoned them to keep Dorothy from reaching her goal. Hopefully none of us are picking our way through a field of poison poppies today, but if you’re like me, you might be buying some Band-Aids.
Case in point
My husband James and I both love the outdoors, but the primary difference between us is that he was born with natural ability and I have to work for every ounce of strength and skill I have. One sport he introduced me to is surfing, and last year, I shared my preliminary experience with you. Since then, I’ve improved … a little.
Understand that my goal with this sport is not lofty. I don’t want to metal in a sporting event or even qualify to participate in one. I simply want to get upright long enough to enjoy the wave and then get off without injuring myself.
The size of our goal doesn’t matter as much as how willing we are to stick with it. In that regard, surfing and dreams in general have a few common qualities.
To succeed, you will fall.
Falling off a surfboard provides a physical sensation that equates well to the pain of failure. You don’t just fall off a surfboard and land gently in the water. Your board might nose dive, catapulting you over it. You might get sucked under the water and feel like you’re drowning.
However, the more you fall, the wiser you become. As you practice, you will keep falling, but experience will teach you that even when you feel like you’re going to drown, you should wait a few moments before surfacing, or your board might land on your head. Yes, ouch.
Pursuing dreams is similar. You might get rejected, turned down, booed, told “that’s impossible,” or any number of scenarios. If you don’t quit the first time, the second time, or the hundredth time you fall, you will eventually meet success or at least approach your goal more intelligently.
To succeed, you will scrape your knee.
Be prepared. Pride and self-interests often take a back seat when pursuing goals.
The last time we walked to the beach with surf boards in tow, I had one wish: Please, please let me not get hurt today. You see, last year, I took a hefty chunk of skin off my left knee that required a bigger Band-Aid than even the lifeguard could provide.
For the first hour, I was getting the hang of things. I welcomed smaller waves and kept getting up on the board for some decent rides. The only problem was that since my waves weren’t deep, I was riding them into much more shallow waters. All it took was one wrong fall, and I scraped the skin off my other knee.
So now they match. Kind of. I jokingly tell James that thanks to this sport, I will have prematurely ugly knees.
The bigger the dream, the bigger the fight
Yes, our dreams sometimes leave us feeling scraped up. As Pete Wilson shares in his book What Keeps You Up at Night, “The bigger the dream, the bigger the fight you’ll face. In fact, the people throughout history who have been the most directly in the center of God’s will for their lives are the same people who have gone through the toughest trials.”
Wilson gives the example of Joseph, one of my favorite Bible characters. Talk about someone whose dream presented obstacles! He went from daddy’s favorite to a slave and a prisoner before God elevated him to Pharaoh’s right hand man. His life experience left more than scraped knees. But through all the setbacks and disappointments in his life, Joseph sought to honor God through his circumstances, and God remained with him.
Several times in Scripture, we find this idea of God being present with Joseph through every low point in his life (emphasis added below).
- “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” (Genesis 39:2 NKJV)
- “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” (Genesis 39:21 NKJV)
- “The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.” (Genesis 39:23 NKJV)
- “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.” (Acts 7:9-10 NKJV)
You know what these verses tell me? When we seek to honour God through our dreams, God is with us, too.
Surfing is but a picture.
Surfing is a personal dare I have yet to master, but it paints such a good picture for the obstacles we often face when going for the dreams God has placed on our hearts.
The bottom line is that we can’t give up on them, because God doesn’t give up on us. We have to keep buying the Band-Aids. One day, when we do succeed, all those falls will have been worthwhile as we feel God’s pleasure. Well done!
Question: What dream has God placed in your heart?
Credit to Kristen Hogrefe for sharing this wonderful story and experience.
The Truth About Difficult Times You’re Facing in Life
Recently, have been reading a lot of inspiring articles online. I find it important to share some of my readings with you guys.
Every one of us goes through difficult times in our lives. But, that’s not a bad thing. Here’s the truth about difficult times in your life.
Originally posted by Joshua Delp.
Are you facing difficult times in your life right now? Many Christians view these trialing seasons as the work of the enemy and not the work of God. As far as I can see, this is not a biblical truth. Yes, there is an element to trial that involves our sinful nature, fleshly desires, spiritual warfare, and the chaos and insanity of this world.
I know many of you who are reading this have suffered greatly. You have seen and experienced that which you would not wish on your worst enemy. I know that. I have too. The pain and brokenness you have faced was not the work of God.
But our God is the God of Salvation; the God that makes all things new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Remember that God allowed Job to go through trials that he may give an example of faith to the generations. Promise after promise in the Bible assures us that God uses trial to create greater faith in us, steadfastness, perseverance, a more Christ-like character.
James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
The truth about difficult times in your life
No one enjoys difficult times in life; there’s no secret there. During these times is when a person’s true character is revealed. Following Jesus is easy while you’re at church. It’s also easy when everything is going our way in life. But what about when following Jesus costs us something?
Sometimes God must allow us to come to the end of our strength because it is only then that we learn to rely on His Grace, which is the power to be the men and women He is calling us to be.
The beauty of God’s Mercy is that if we will hold on to Him, if we continue to follow Jesus, even when everything is screaming on the inside and outside, our worse, when we are mediocre and complacent, he uses the darkness of this broken world to create something priceless in us: Steadfast faith that will lead us to Eternity with God.
It’s only when we understand the truth about difficult times in life that we begin to receive refreshment from God. Only by persevering in the face of trial, do we receive the crown of life.
In closing, here are a few encouraging bible verses that help us understand the truth about difficult ties in our lives and what they actually mean.
“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.” Romans 8:28
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
The question is, What difficult time have you been through in life that has prepared you for where you are today?
Thanks Joshua for this inspiring piece.
Motivated And Free 
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