Psalm 34:18
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I haven’t “had the breath knocked out of me” in years…can’t even remember when it happened last. But I do remember the feeling… that momentary shock and fright – and wonder if “this was IT!” Then the breath returned, and other than maybe being sore from falling so hard, everything returned to normal. Usually, this happens in a group – like playing kickball as a kid – and others rush to your side to make sure you are okay.
When my grandmother fell last Christmas Eve on our driveway and hit her head, I am fairly certain she was momentarily dazed – if not unconscious. We hurried to her, and I held her head off the pavement until the ambulance arrived with EMTs to assist her. The night my dad suffered a massive stroke, I remember my husband going to the car to retrieve his C-pap machine (a device that aides in breathing if you have sleep apnea). When my husband returned from the parking lot, the doors to the waiting room swung open, and there on either side of him were two of my dearest cousins who had come to support us. I know beyond any doubt that they were real-life angels sent by God. And did we ever need them, because my dad did not survive… and our hearts were broken.
Let’s face it… life kicks all of us in the gut at least once or twice. And for a moment, it’s like having the breath knocked out of you. We wonder what to do, maybe even panic a little – and fear the worst. The GOOD NEWS is that God is right there with us, and He will give us everything we need to catch our breath. He will mend our broken hearts… maybe not right away…but in His time. He will show us a way out of whatever dilemma we face. God will never leave us.
If we will just hold on to this thought…if we will simply trust that with God, all things are possible, then the “kicks in the gut” that are bound to happen in life won’t seem fatal. We really have no clue what we can endure with God’s help. I’m not asking to find out… but I am certainly aware that I can deal with whatever comes my way. If God can give Jesus’ mother, Mary, the courage and strength to watch her Son be tortured and crucified on a cross… don’t you think He can help you manage your “gut-checks?” Don’t give up hope. Cry out to God, and call on Him to draw near. You’ll find He was already there all along.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label hopelessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hopelessness. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 3, 2012
October 3 ~ Ezekiel 37:11-14
The Lord said: Ezekiel, the people of Israel are like dead bones. They complain that they are dried up and that they have no hope for the future. So tell them, “I, the Lord God, promise to open your graves and set you free. I will bring you back to Israel, and when that happens, you will realize that I am the Lord. My Spirit will give you breath, and you will live again. I will bring you home, and you will know that I have kept my promise. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have a great recipe for a sour cream raisin pie. This may sound awful to you, but I promise, it is delicious. Raisins are suspended in a creamy, sweet custard made mostly of eggs, sugar, and sour cream… topped by a golden meringue. Now, I love raisins, but the thought of hard, chewy nuggets in a creamy pie does not appeal to me. The key to making the raisins tasty for this pie is to soak them for a few minutes in boiling water. They plump and become juicy and have an altogether different consistency from that of their dried state. The raisins are transformed!
There are many situations in life where we become like dried raisins… lifeless, hard and chewy. Or we become like dead bones… no life in us at all. We give up… we throw our hands in the air and say, “This is too hard… I just cannot continue. Things will never change. My future is hopeless.” Or we give up on someone else – or a certain situation. We humans are often pretty quick to lose our hope and throw in the towel!
Here’s the deal… with God, all things are possible. It ain’t over until He says it’s over! We must never give up. Just like dried raisins can be rejuvenated – brought back to life, so to speak – and used to create an amazingly wonderful pie… God can often breathe life back into us or our situation. He can make a way where we saw none. God can “open our graves” and set us free.
I don’t know what you are facing. I don’t know where you have admitted defeat and decided things are hopeless. I have no clue how or when you have given up… but I know that many of us have - at least for a while. And I am here to tell you that we serve a God of endless possibilities… miracles we cannot imagine. All we have to do is say, “LORD, I don’t know how, when, or where you will change my situation… but I know that you will. I am giving this to You, recognizing Your strength and power, and asking You to turn things around, according to Your perfect will.”
I pray that you will develop the kind of deep abiding faith in God that allows you to release your “dry bones” to Him. Do whatever it takes to become so in tune with Him that you trust Him completely – not just if you face uncertainties, but especially when these happen! Get to a point in your relationship with God where nothing rattles you… where you hand Him all of your troubles and truly release them. Feel the freedom of knowing that HE is in control and working things out perfectly. Learn to truly LIVE in God… to allow His Spirit to fully give you breath… and to operate in the confidence and peace of knowing that He always has your back!
©2012 Debbie Robus
The Lord said: Ezekiel, the people of Israel are like dead bones. They complain that they are dried up and that they have no hope for the future. So tell them, “I, the Lord God, promise to open your graves and set you free. I will bring you back to Israel, and when that happens, you will realize that I am the Lord. My Spirit will give you breath, and you will live again. I will bring you home, and you will know that I have kept my promise. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have a great recipe for a sour cream raisin pie. This may sound awful to you, but I promise, it is delicious. Raisins are suspended in a creamy, sweet custard made mostly of eggs, sugar, and sour cream… topped by a golden meringue. Now, I love raisins, but the thought of hard, chewy nuggets in a creamy pie does not appeal to me. The key to making the raisins tasty for this pie is to soak them for a few minutes in boiling water. They plump and become juicy and have an altogether different consistency from that of their dried state. The raisins are transformed!
There are many situations in life where we become like dried raisins… lifeless, hard and chewy. Or we become like dead bones… no life in us at all. We give up… we throw our hands in the air and say, “This is too hard… I just cannot continue. Things will never change. My future is hopeless.” Or we give up on someone else – or a certain situation. We humans are often pretty quick to lose our hope and throw in the towel!
Here’s the deal… with God, all things are possible. It ain’t over until He says it’s over! We must never give up. Just like dried raisins can be rejuvenated – brought back to life, so to speak – and used to create an amazingly wonderful pie… God can often breathe life back into us or our situation. He can make a way where we saw none. God can “open our graves” and set us free.
I don’t know what you are facing. I don’t know where you have admitted defeat and decided things are hopeless. I have no clue how or when you have given up… but I know that many of us have - at least for a while. And I am here to tell you that we serve a God of endless possibilities… miracles we cannot imagine. All we have to do is say, “LORD, I don’t know how, when, or where you will change my situation… but I know that you will. I am giving this to You, recognizing Your strength and power, and asking You to turn things around, according to Your perfect will.”
I pray that you will develop the kind of deep abiding faith in God that allows you to release your “dry bones” to Him. Do whatever it takes to become so in tune with Him that you trust Him completely – not just if you face uncertainties, but especially when these happen! Get to a point in your relationship with God where nothing rattles you… where you hand Him all of your troubles and truly release them. Feel the freedom of knowing that HE is in control and working things out perfectly. Learn to truly LIVE in God… to allow His Spirit to fully give you breath… and to operate in the confidence and peace of knowing that He always has your back!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 18, 2012
Romans 4:19-25
Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In 1988, Reverend Jesse Jackson ended his speech at the Democratic National Convention with these words… “You must not surrender! You may or may not get there but just know that you're qualified! And you hold on, and hold out! We must never surrender!! America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive! On tomorrow night and beyond, keep hope alive!”
This is Paul’s message to the Romans – and to us! Because of the blood of Jesus and the grace and mercy of Almighty God, we are “qualified.” We must hold on – and hold out – and never surrender. When the devil tries to tell you that you will never be healthy…thin and fit…financially secure…in a committed, loving relationship…living in a decent home… working at a good job so that you can afford to feed your family… passing your classes to graduate or stay in college… or whatever it is you feel you cannot accomplish…keep hope alive. When “the world” tells you that things are bleak and impossible, remind yourself that God has promised that all things are possible when He is in charge.
Remember, you must have the necessary tools to be able to speak and hear God’s language… and the primary tool you need is God’s word – which leads to hearing His voice. Read the scriptures. Pour out your heart to God and tell Him your needs and desires… hear His answers and promises as He leads you to specific verses and passages – and shows you His will for your life in all sorts of ways. Stay awake and alert, so that you don’t miss His messages… and never forget that the God who brought Jesus to life in what appeared to be impossible circumstances stands ready to set us upright, also.
Never underestimate the power of God to work in and through you. With God, all things are possible. Our job is to keep His hope alive!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In 1988, Reverend Jesse Jackson ended his speech at the Democratic National Convention with these words… “You must not surrender! You may or may not get there but just know that you're qualified! And you hold on, and hold out! We must never surrender!! America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive! On tomorrow night and beyond, keep hope alive!”
This is Paul’s message to the Romans – and to us! Because of the blood of Jesus and the grace and mercy of Almighty God, we are “qualified.” We must hold on – and hold out – and never surrender. When the devil tries to tell you that you will never be healthy…thin and fit…financially secure…in a committed, loving relationship…living in a decent home… working at a good job so that you can afford to feed your family… passing your classes to graduate or stay in college… or whatever it is you feel you cannot accomplish…keep hope alive. When “the world” tells you that things are bleak and impossible, remind yourself that God has promised that all things are possible when He is in charge.
Remember, you must have the necessary tools to be able to speak and hear God’s language… and the primary tool you need is God’s word – which leads to hearing His voice. Read the scriptures. Pour out your heart to God and tell Him your needs and desires… hear His answers and promises as He leads you to specific verses and passages – and shows you His will for your life in all sorts of ways. Stay awake and alert, so that you don’t miss His messages… and never forget that the God who brought Jesus to life in what appeared to be impossible circumstances stands ready to set us upright, also.
Never underestimate the power of God to work in and through you. With God, all things are possible. Our job is to keep His hope alive!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 8, 2012
Psalm 148:1-4
Shout praises to the LORD! Shout the LORD's praises in the highest heavens. All of you angels, and all who serve him above, come and offer praise. Sun and moon, and all of you bright stars, come and offer praise. Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens, come and offer praise.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One year ago this day, my cousin J.D. and a woman named Angie were married. While all wedding anniversaries are milestones, what makes this one particularly worthy of mention lies in the story of how these two were brought together in the first place… and how God works in our lives each and every day. On his website at www.kingdomcallministries.org, J.D. tells his story… how he became consumed with both using and dealing drugs as a teenager… how he was in and out of rehabs and jails – and ultimately he was incarcerated in prison for more than three years. True to his nature and the pull of the devil on his heart, J.D. was rebellious and uncooperative, and he became a frequent visitor to “The Hole” – also known as solitary confinement.
J.D. writes that… “Being sent to prison relegates you to a low class. Being sent to a prison within in a prison places one in the top ranks of the biggest losers… that is where I was. Most, I’m sure, had given up on me ever becoming a productive human being. My life was a mess, my brain was shot, and my situation was hopeless.” J.D. got some of it right… a few people did give up on him. But others did not. We prayed, we encouraged… and God kept working. And one day while sitting alone in “The Hole,” J.D. had a visit from Jesus that totally transformed his life.
After his release from prison in 2007, J.D. returned home and found a job – and a church home. He grew in his faith and found that God was calling Him to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others… to be a living testament to His ability to make a way where none seems possible. It wasn’t easy… and Satan would not go away. In 2009, J.D. awoke in a hospital with virtually every bone in his face broken, and his jaws wired shut. He had been involved in a horrible logging accident where a pine tree fell directly onto his face. In his words…“Satan had tried to take me out with that pine tree and had come awfully close to succeeding.”
But J.D. recovered fully from his injuries, and he began to share the word of God wherever a church would invite him to speak. He spent his days immersed in prayer and studying God’s word. He trusted God to provide for his needs via “love offerings” and a small business he managed selling chainsaws and parts online. And one evening as he stopped to attend a tent revival near Romance, Arkansas, he greeted the evangelist and his assistant – a woman named Angie, who would soon become his wife.
In the past year, J.D. and Angie have begun their own ministry and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others in churches and via tent revivals from Arkansas to Indiana. The young man who was hopeless and helpless is now using his own story of rescue and redemption to offer the hope and promise of a life in Christ to others. And at every turn, he and Angie are praising God for His faithfulness… and encouraging others to do the same.
J.D. and I have laughed and agreed that the God who can fix him can fix anybody! But really, this is no laughing matter… it’s the plain and simple truth. I don’t know what you are facing. I don’t know your challenges… your concerns… your needs and fears. But I know that God can accomplish ANYTHING. So I am asking you to hang on… to keep the faith… to never give up… and to always… ALWAYS, give Him the praise He so richly deserves. To God be the glory for rescuing J.D. and uniting Him with Angie. To God be the glory for the miraculous and wonderful things He is doing – and will continue – in each of our lives. Won’t you come and offer Him YOUR praise today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Shout praises to the LORD! Shout the LORD's praises in the highest heavens. All of you angels, and all who serve him above, come and offer praise. Sun and moon, and all of you bright stars, come and offer praise. Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens, come and offer praise.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One year ago this day, my cousin J.D. and a woman named Angie were married. While all wedding anniversaries are milestones, what makes this one particularly worthy of mention lies in the story of how these two were brought together in the first place… and how God works in our lives each and every day. On his website at www.kingdomcallministries.org, J.D. tells his story… how he became consumed with both using and dealing drugs as a teenager… how he was in and out of rehabs and jails – and ultimately he was incarcerated in prison for more than three years. True to his nature and the pull of the devil on his heart, J.D. was rebellious and uncooperative, and he became a frequent visitor to “The Hole” – also known as solitary confinement.
J.D. writes that… “Being sent to prison relegates you to a low class. Being sent to a prison within in a prison places one in the top ranks of the biggest losers… that is where I was. Most, I’m sure, had given up on me ever becoming a productive human being. My life was a mess, my brain was shot, and my situation was hopeless.” J.D. got some of it right… a few people did give up on him. But others did not. We prayed, we encouraged… and God kept working. And one day while sitting alone in “The Hole,” J.D. had a visit from Jesus that totally transformed his life.
After his release from prison in 2007, J.D. returned home and found a job – and a church home. He grew in his faith and found that God was calling Him to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others… to be a living testament to His ability to make a way where none seems possible. It wasn’t easy… and Satan would not go away. In 2009, J.D. awoke in a hospital with virtually every bone in his face broken, and his jaws wired shut. He had been involved in a horrible logging accident where a pine tree fell directly onto his face. In his words…“Satan had tried to take me out with that pine tree and had come awfully close to succeeding.”
But J.D. recovered fully from his injuries, and he began to share the word of God wherever a church would invite him to speak. He spent his days immersed in prayer and studying God’s word. He trusted God to provide for his needs via “love offerings” and a small business he managed selling chainsaws and parts online. And one evening as he stopped to attend a tent revival near Romance, Arkansas, he greeted the evangelist and his assistant – a woman named Angie, who would soon become his wife.
In the past year, J.D. and Angie have begun their own ministry and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others in churches and via tent revivals from Arkansas to Indiana. The young man who was hopeless and helpless is now using his own story of rescue and redemption to offer the hope and promise of a life in Christ to others. And at every turn, he and Angie are praising God for His faithfulness… and encouraging others to do the same.
J.D. and I have laughed and agreed that the God who can fix him can fix anybody! But really, this is no laughing matter… it’s the plain and simple truth. I don’t know what you are facing. I don’t know your challenges… your concerns… your needs and fears. But I know that God can accomplish ANYTHING. So I am asking you to hang on… to keep the faith… to never give up… and to always… ALWAYS, give Him the praise He so richly deserves. To God be the glory for rescuing J.D. and uniting Him with Angie. To God be the glory for the miraculous and wonderful things He is doing – and will continue – in each of our lives. Won’t you come and offer Him YOUR praise today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 7, 2011
Psalm 142:5-7
I pray to you, LORD! You are my place of safety, and you are my choice in the land of the living. Please answer my prayer. I am completely helpless. Help! They are chasing me, and they are too strong. Rescue me from this prison, so I can praise your name. And when your people notice your wonderful kindness to me, they will rush to my side.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Imagine what it must feel like to be unable to breathe well. My grandmother recently began to feel badly, and I took her to the Emergency Room for an evaluation. The doctor asked, “Do you have any shortness of breath?” She replied, “Oh, yes… it feels like something heavy is on my chest.” Further tests revealed that she had congestive heart failure – a buildup of fluid around her heart and in her lungs. This was directly affecting her breathing. She was “rescued” by some medications to remove the excess fluid and lower her blood pressure. But I can imagine that this sensation of not being able to take a deep breath can be quite frightening – and make one feel completely helpless!
One thing I can say for my grandmother… when she is in these sort of situations, she never seems to panic. I have been with other family members who were experiencing similar symptoms, and they were – understandably – quite agitated and fearful. So I asked myself, “What makes my grandmother different?” The only answer I have is that my grandmother is so completely at peace with God and His plans for her. She knows He truly is her place of safety. And frankly, at 99 years of age, she is comfortable staying or going. God is her choice in the land of the living – and in Eternity as well.
I believe my grandmother’s demeanor directly affects those around her. I’ve seen how she is treated by medical staff, and I’ve always said she is a “good patient.” She almost makes apologies for “bothering” them… and sometimes she has actually said as much! She showers each person who treats her with kindness and affection… and they return the same.
There is a lot to be said for this example. We don’t always feel our best… we may feel helpless and fearful. But if God is our strength and our shield, we know Who wins in the end! And because of this, we can share His wonderful kindness with others, whether this is returned toward us or not. We can sing His praises and bask in the glory of His continual love and protection. I’m betting we will find ourselves on the end of better treatment from others, as well. Either way, we will know that we honored our relationship with God… and that we never have to feel helpless – or hopeless – again.
©2011 Debbie Robus
I pray to you, LORD! You are my place of safety, and you are my choice in the land of the living. Please answer my prayer. I am completely helpless. Help! They are chasing me, and they are too strong. Rescue me from this prison, so I can praise your name. And when your people notice your wonderful kindness to me, they will rush to my side.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Imagine what it must feel like to be unable to breathe well. My grandmother recently began to feel badly, and I took her to the Emergency Room for an evaluation. The doctor asked, “Do you have any shortness of breath?” She replied, “Oh, yes… it feels like something heavy is on my chest.” Further tests revealed that she had congestive heart failure – a buildup of fluid around her heart and in her lungs. This was directly affecting her breathing. She was “rescued” by some medications to remove the excess fluid and lower her blood pressure. But I can imagine that this sensation of not being able to take a deep breath can be quite frightening – and make one feel completely helpless!
One thing I can say for my grandmother… when she is in these sort of situations, she never seems to panic. I have been with other family members who were experiencing similar symptoms, and they were – understandably – quite agitated and fearful. So I asked myself, “What makes my grandmother different?” The only answer I have is that my grandmother is so completely at peace with God and His plans for her. She knows He truly is her place of safety. And frankly, at 99 years of age, she is comfortable staying or going. God is her choice in the land of the living – and in Eternity as well.
I believe my grandmother’s demeanor directly affects those around her. I’ve seen how she is treated by medical staff, and I’ve always said she is a “good patient.” She almost makes apologies for “bothering” them… and sometimes she has actually said as much! She showers each person who treats her with kindness and affection… and they return the same.
There is a lot to be said for this example. We don’t always feel our best… we may feel helpless and fearful. But if God is our strength and our shield, we know Who wins in the end! And because of this, we can share His wonderful kindness with others, whether this is returned toward us or not. We can sing His praises and bask in the glory of His continual love and protection. I’m betting we will find ourselves on the end of better treatment from others, as well. Either way, we will know that we honored our relationship with God… and that we never have to feel helpless – or hopeless – again.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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