If we study the Word of God and see its application experientially in our lives, we ought to come to the realization that God is faithful. There are some parts of scripture meant to give us historical accounts, others provide parables that offer insight on the basis of a story, and still others that share direct insight in terms of practical wisdom. These are just three types of learning we can expect from scripture and often these are interwoven in a way where more than one may be administered at a time. For example, we may derive practical wisdom from what we learn in a parable of Jesus Christ. There are segments of scripture that hold such beautiful and transformative promises I think we can occasionally become desensitized to their magnitude. One that comes to my mind immediately is found in Joshua 1:9.

9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

These are the kinds of memorized scriptures that we can cling onto in times of dire need. I know that I have been consistently comforting myself with these sorts of Biblical insights throughout my adult life. Often when I have faced a daunting situation, I have wielded these portions of the Word of God in order to bless me with perspective, comfort, and peace. Without making it a habit to remember the promises of God that apply to us as believers I would be in a world full of anxiety, pain, or stress without any lasting relief. Sure, we can find some semblance of insight or comfort from the words of family/friends or in some quotes that may briefly encourage us. Yet, I tell you none of it can compare to the blessings of God’s presence in times of great trouble.

The insight that we find in God’s Word doesn’t fail to provide us sustenance in any significant area of concern. There are scriptures to be found to overcome worry, anxiety, stress, loss of loved ones, a crushed spirit, pride, and any other negative disposition or situation you can possibly imagine. There are even clear times where everything is simply outside of our control. Perhaps you’ve come to a point where you have done what you could to handle a situation and now it’s time to wait for an outcome. Not only can you really on God to hear and answer your prayers about the matter, but you can also trust Him to take care of things on your behalf while you wait to discover what happens.

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14 (NKJV).

There are also other segments that instruct us to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) as well as comfort us in“God keeps him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) We need to discern whether this is a situation where God has given us a solution and we are not acting on it or if we have only to await the outcome at hand. For this, we can pray that God would bless us with discernment on the matter and help us rightly decide accordingly.

Throughout the Bible, we observe that God never neglects His people. We may not feel Him closely or hear Him audibly but that doesn’t mean He is far. There will be times where He decides to resolve a situation for us from one moment to the next and still others where we need to diligently pray for a season before we even get an answer. On top of that His answer me be in the form of a closed-door or simply “No, my dear son/daughter, I have better plans for you.” The options God makes unavailable to us, or the opportunities that don’t transpire the way we envisioned, need not be a dead-end road for us. We need to trust that God will make way for His will. There will also be times where it simply isn’t the right moment for the desire in your heart to come to pass. We’re in good company when God makes us wait and it’s always superior to getting what we think we’re ready for. That job promotion may be premature because your skillset needs to blossom before you’re ready. You or your future spouse may not be ready to be revealed to you because you both have a few things to polish about your character to succeed.

God has the full blueprint, He is omniscient, He knows all about each and every one of us. If you claim to trust God and are one of His children, doesn’t it make perfect sense to trust His judgment and timing too? Let’s not forget Who it is we serve and how capable our God is. Our problems may be big in our eyes, but for Him, they may just be a means of polishing your character. There are some lessons that aren’t easy to learn but His love for us sustains us through those seasons too.

I pray that God would be as gentle as possible upon each of you as you grow in your sanctification, but I also pray that you would not spurn His correction or any of His guidance. I can tell you that I have relied on Him in both good and bad times. Sometimes it takes serious circumstances for Him to grab our attention. It’s best we pay attention to Him in all seasons so that isn’t necessary. We ought not to just come to Him when things are good or only pray when we encounter a problem that needs to be fixed. Imagine if you came to your earthly parents in only such cases, don’t you think that would be disrespectful and abusive of that relationship? In this way, we ought to consider that God wants to hear from us daily. He wants us to engage His Word daily.

Reading His Word and applying it to our lives for a Christian is the equivalent to breathing if we want a healthy spiritual life. We are easy targets for the devil and his demons if we don’t continually pray, read the Word, and apply everything we learn. There’s no need to overestimate or underestimate the devil. Focus on God, building His Kingdom, and trusting in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Build a genuine thirst for righteousness and simultaneously develop your relationship with Jesus Christ day by day. He may know who you are, but I truly hope that Jesus Christ knows you intimately as a son or daughter. There’s no better way to live and no superior outcome for your eternal well-being. I love you all and hope that you are fully reliant on God and His provisions. It is for the best in this life and more importantly in the eternity, we’re heading into.

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