Endless Blue Skies…

PERSEVERANCE 

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Reflections: So many times, as Christians, we are shocked and amazed that life can be hard some days. I think that deep down, we expect God to make our lives a sweet-smelling bed of roses, or at least that He would snap His fingers and make all of our problems go away instantly. But the reality is that God never promised us endless blue skies without the threat of a cloudy day. In fact, Jesus assures us that in this world, we WILL have troubles. The good news, though, is that he also assures us that we can take heart and have hope, because He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). He promised to stand by our side, and sometimes carry us, through every hardship, ultimately leading us to a life more abundant in Him. Because of Him, we can persevere through whatever life throws our way, knowing that in the end, we will have the victory.

So, yes, we will have struggles; and yes, it may seem like more than we can bear some days; but praise God that we don’t have to bear it alone! All we have to do is lean on God, give Him our burdens, and receive His promised peace, His unspeakable joy, and His unending love as we soldier through the cloudy days to get to our next blue sky.

Shine your light!

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

FAITH

Matthew 6:26 – “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?”

Reflections: I find that I worry a lot these days. I worry about money (or the lack thereof), I worry about bills, I worry about my car, my house…I worry about my nonprofit and my students, and I worry about my family and my friends. Then I have these moments of clarity, when I realize the true extent of this worry—which is really just another term for fear—and I have to remember and acknowledge that fear only exists in the absence of FAITH. If I am walking in my faith, as I should, then I could more easily rebuke the fear that wells within me. Constant fear is an affront to FAITH, particularly in the face of scriptures like Matthew 6:26, which remind me of God’s love for all of His creation, from the birds of the trees to little old flawed me. He will always be there for us, watching over us, protecting us, and providing for us…as long as we believe. If God be for us, who can be against us? Whom shall we fear?

John 16:33 – “Rest in the peace of God’s presence. Do not be weighed down by burdens and problems, because God is your burden bearer. In this world, we will have trials, but do not fear, for He has overcome the world.”