Romans 8:22-25
We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth. The Spirit makes us sure about what we will be in the future. But now we groan silently, while we wait for God to show that we are his children. This means that our bodies will also be set free. And this hope is what saves us. But if we already have what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping. However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we patiently wait for it.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I begin to wonder why it is taking God so long to answer many of my prayers. I mentioned a few weeks ago that some of the names and concerns in my prayer journal are the same ones that have been on “the list” for decades! I keep hoping that things will change… that I will see evidence of God’s hand in these lives and circumstances. But I admit… sometimes it is hard to remain patient.
This passage reminds me that God’s answers sometimes involve pain and struggle. If God answered all of my prayers immediately, according to my desires, would I keep asking? If I saw His big picture clearly all at once and everything was easy as pie, would I be able to handle it? If I no longer had the promise of blessings and abundance yet to come, would I lose interest and focus? Without goals and hopes in the LORD, would I drift away from Him and become too comfortable in my own abilities?
I am no longer so much surprised by God as I am impressed! He continues to amaze and bless me in abundance every day. And the more I hope for in Him, the bigger my faith grows. Ultimately, God will answer many of my prayers, according to His will - not mine. And in the end, my hope in Him will be fulfilled when He calls me to heaven for all eternity.
Are you patiently anticipating God’s next move in your life? Do you hope for things not seen… and trust that God is always at work, even when we cannot see direct results? The waiting is hard… but it’s not killing me. In fact, waiting on God… staying hopeful and faithful… is making me stronger. I am growing and expanding in my faith every day, and someday God will give birth to great things as a result. How big are your hopes and dreams in the LORD these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label struggles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label struggles. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for November 5, 2011
John 16:1-4
"I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well-warned and ready for them.”
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.
One of the hardest things for us to understand after we become Christians is why rough times still come. Didn’t Jesus tell us to come to Him and He would take our burdens and give us rest? Absolutely! But here He is also warning us that there will be rough times… challenges… even ridicule and rejection by others.
Notice that He says that these people who mistreat us never really understood the Father. Do we understand God? Do we understand why He allows us to be tested and endure rough times? Just how faithful do you think we would be to God if He never tested us?! Look at all Jesus suffered. Surely we have experienced nothing that even comes close to resembling His “rough times,” have we?!
But we have all been challenged. We have faced trials and temptations and ridicule and rejection. And if we have remained faithful and trusted God to orchestrate the outcomes, we have survived… and been strengthened.
In the following verses of John 16, Jesus explains about His Holy Spirit and how we can be forever filled, guided, and protected by His indwelling. And I will talk about this in coming days. But for now, I want us to recognize that Jesus said flatly that we would face adversity and “rough times”… but He also said He would never leave us!
We must be mindful of this as we go about our daily living… and we must be careful when we share the Good News of Jesus with others that we do not give them a false impression that all of their worries and challenges are over completely, once they invite Him to be LORD of their life. In order to truly know God, we have to know that we will go through things… but the operative word is through! When we let God have control, He makes sure we never have more than we can handle with His help!
So realize that life with Jesus is a zillion times better than life without Him… but you still may have to go through some stuff! Just know that He is with you, every step of the way… and you will survive if you trust Him to guide your steps.
©2011 Debbie Robus
"I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well-warned and ready for them.”
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.
One of the hardest things for us to understand after we become Christians is why rough times still come. Didn’t Jesus tell us to come to Him and He would take our burdens and give us rest? Absolutely! But here He is also warning us that there will be rough times… challenges… even ridicule and rejection by others.
Notice that He says that these people who mistreat us never really understood the Father. Do we understand God? Do we understand why He allows us to be tested and endure rough times? Just how faithful do you think we would be to God if He never tested us?! Look at all Jesus suffered. Surely we have experienced nothing that even comes close to resembling His “rough times,” have we?!
But we have all been challenged. We have faced trials and temptations and ridicule and rejection. And if we have remained faithful and trusted God to orchestrate the outcomes, we have survived… and been strengthened.
In the following verses of John 16, Jesus explains about His Holy Spirit and how we can be forever filled, guided, and protected by His indwelling. And I will talk about this in coming days. But for now, I want us to recognize that Jesus said flatly that we would face adversity and “rough times”… but He also said He would never leave us!
We must be mindful of this as we go about our daily living… and we must be careful when we share the Good News of Jesus with others that we do not give them a false impression that all of their worries and challenges are over completely, once they invite Him to be LORD of their life. In order to truly know God, we have to know that we will go through things… but the operative word is through! When we let God have control, He makes sure we never have more than we can handle with His help!
So realize that life with Jesus is a zillion times better than life without Him… but you still may have to go through some stuff! Just know that He is with you, every step of the way… and you will survive if you trust Him to guide your steps.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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