Thoughts Along Life's Journey
Have you ever found yourself in a tough spot; it seems there’s no way out, and you find yourself wondering, why isn’t God helping me? You certainly wouldn’t be alone if those thoughts have entered your mind. It can be hard to understand why God seemingly leaves us to our own devices to get out of our troubles. Let’s take a look at that and delve into some truth.
You see, truth or the promises of God, is what we must determine to stand on at all times. For example, when you feel that God is not helping and has left you alone, then remind yourselves of His promise in Hebrews 13:5 where He says clearly that He will never leave us. It’s easy, but not the best, to rely on our “feelings” rather than on God’s truth, but it’s relying on God’s truth that helps keep our faith strong. Our feelings have nothing to do with faith. Pastor and writer Ron Dunn once said, “Emotion is but the echo of an experience and destined to fade into nothingness.” Don’t rely on wishy-washy feelings: rely on the truth of God.
Did you know that God actually gives us our faith? It’s not something we emotionally whip into being. II Peter 1:1 tells us, “I am writing to all of you who share the same precious faith we have, faith given to us by Jesus Christ, our God and Savior who makes us right with God.” It’s an interesting and vital circle to our spiritual effectiveness, to recognize God’s key to faith. God gives us faith. We may choose to initially receive that faith or not. When we choose to receive His gift of faith, then the next step to take is to get to know Him better. Peter tells us this, too, in II Peter 1:2, “May God bless you with His special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better.” We get to know Him in the same way that we get to know anyone — by spending time with Him. Read His words of truth and promise, of comfort and guidance. Talk to Him about everything.
As we get to know Him better, something essential takes place: we develop a strong desire to do everything He says. We want to obey Him, and we find it a joy to do so, because we have learned to trust Him. How did we learn to trust Him? By knowing Him better. All of us find it difficult to trust someone we don’t know very well, but as we know a person and see their goodness and integrity, then we find it easy to trust what they say. God always has our best interests in His heart — always. As we come to know that as truth in our hearts, too, then we can do what He says to do with great joy, which will result in us following His guidance, which will result in our faith growing stronger. Do you see the wonderful circle of truth here? God gives faith to us, we accept His gift of faith and choose to learn more about Him. As we learn more about Him we discover that we trust Him and what He is allowing in our lives because we trust His love and His plans for us. Therefore, we do whatever He says to do, and what happens? Faith continues to grow stronger.
II Peter 1:3-4 says, “As we know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive His own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, He has given us all His rich and wonderful promises.” Isn’t God’s design to keep our faith strong absolutely wonderful? When we get to know Him, learn to trust Him, then our faith keeps us focusing on His goodness, rather than on our troubles of the day. The troubles of the day will fade as we grab hold of the truth that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. Get to know Him better and see for yourselves whether this is true or not. I know you won’t be disappointed because knowing God and trusting Him only brings peace of heart. When God’s peace reigns in your heart, you will never again ask, why isn’t God helping me, because you will see that He has planned a path that you can trust, even in the difficulties of life. God is love — all the time — that’s truth we can trust.
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