I was reading Psalm 136 and was reminded that we are
supposed to give thanks in everything because God's love
remains even when we can't see it. I certainly don't feel
like giving thanks at all times. Sometimes I feel like
I'm in a long tunnel created by all my failures. I've
found that just giving thanks to God for reminding me of
His grace that wipes away my failures enables me to see
the bigger picture before too long.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for His
lovingkindness is everlasting.~ Psalm106:1 NASB
Even
the briefest glimpse of a love that is faithful no matter
what, will change our view of everything that we
experience especially trials.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you
know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has
a chance to grow. ~ James 1:2-3, NLT
The temptations in your life are no different from what
others experience. And God is faithful. He will not
allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When
you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you
can endure. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT
When we pray to God in the midst
of a trial do we ask Him to teach us how to endure? Or do
we ask him to save us from hardship? There have been far
too many times in my life when I did the latter.
Therefore
I
say to you, all things for which you pray and ask,
believe that you have received them, and they will be
granted to you. ~ Mark 11:24 NASB
Let
us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us
in our time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:16 NIV
And this is the confidence that we have toward him,
that if we ask anything according to his will he hears
us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask,
we know that we have the requests that we have asked of
him.
1 John 5:14-15 ESV
When we pray, do we really expect
an answer? We may say we believe everything God says but
if we don't expect God to answer our prayers are we
speaking the truth? We are called to approach God's throne
with confidence; to go boldly before the King of kings
expecting an answer. We may miss the bigger picture and
pray for something outside of God's will but that doesn't
mean He doesn't answer. "No" and "wait" are going to
remain answers no matter how much we dislike them. Other
times He may use us as a vessel to answer someone's prayer
whether we realize it or not.
Come
and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he
performs for people. ~ Psalm 66:5, NLT
God's answer to a prayer will
almost always be bigger and better than what we pictured.
As we participate with God in bringing His glory to those
around us, we will be transformed into servants in
Christ's image.
Just
as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28
NASB
Following Jesus' example means
that we too love others unconditionally. Part of this is
encouraging one other to use all of our gifts and reach
our full potential in God's plan for our lives.
That
their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in
love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of
understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which
is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. ~ Colossians 2:2-3 ESV
I pray that God will continue to
reveal himself to you and that you may receive the
treasures He has for you.
May
grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of
God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted
to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him who called us to his own
glory and excellence. ~ 2 Peter 1:2-3 ESV
May you live your lives blessed
with a realization of the power that allows you to turn
any situation into an opportunity to bring God's glory to
a broken world.
