When tough times come, sometimes it is all we can do to just hang on and endure them. Yet God has specific direction for us in His Word on how to deal with them in a healthy and constructive way. How to not let them defeat us, but on how to let them to be used to grow and mature us.
Each week through the end of 2010, we'll spotlight a different struggle and each day of the week, we'll post verses that speak to us personally on how to grow through that struggle and learn more each day to rely on God's strength and leading.
Since July 1 falls on a Thursday, we'll go with a new topic each Thursday.
This Thursday, we'll start examining how to rely on God when we struggle with anger.
See you then.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
June 30 - Faithful
Faithful are You who has called me; You will keep Your promise. 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Promises are made and broken every day. Probably the most visible are those of the marriage vows. With the divorce rate hovering at around 50%, it is clear that we struggle with keeping promises.
But God doesn't. When He makes a promise, He delivers.
Always.
It may not look like we want it to or think it should, but His ways are higher than than our ways. And He is always faithful to keep His promise.
How does that affect your state of mind?
Promises are made and broken every day. Probably the most visible are those of the marriage vows. With the divorce rate hovering at around 50%, it is clear that we struggle with keeping promises.
But God doesn't. When He makes a promise, He delivers.
Always.
It may not look like we want it to or think it should, but His ways are higher than than our ways. And He is always faithful to keep His promise.
How does that affect your state of mind?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
June 29 - Receive
Whatever things I desire, when I pray, I believe that I receive them and I shall have them. Mark 11:24
Desires are tricky. Desiring what we might want at the moment is a whole different thing than desiring what God knows is best for us. Knowing God's will and seeking it with all we have is not an easy thing to do. It does not come naturally.
Yet, for the believer, when we set our hearts on desiring the things of God instead of focusing on our own selfish desires, not only do we please Him, but we also receive from Him what we ask for.
What have you received from God in the last year?
Desires are tricky. Desiring what we might want at the moment is a whole different thing than desiring what God knows is best for us. Knowing God's will and seeking it with all we have is not an easy thing to do. It does not come naturally.
Yet, for the believer, when we set our hearts on desiring the things of God instead of focusing on our own selfish desires, not only do we please Him, but we also receive from Him what we ask for.
What have you received from God in the last year?
Monday, June 28, 2010
June 28 - Confess
I acknowledged my sin to You, and I have not hidden my offense. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:5
Have you ever had someone ask for your forgiveness for "anything I might have done"? Those words ring hollow if you have pointed out to the person what they did that hurt you.
You know why? Because they are not owning the offense.
They don't even have to agree with your assessment of what happened, but if you spell it out and the best they can do is to say they're sorry for anything they might have done to hurt you, then that apology would seem to be insincere. Because they are not owning the hurt they caused you.
So why confess our sins if God already knows what they are? How does that benefit Him?
Well, it doesn't. It benefits us.
It causes us to own our sin before God instead of playing some word games that would allow us to gloss it over.
However, the payoff of genuine confession is huge.
Forgiveness.
What are some experiences you have had with confession?
Have you ever had someone ask for your forgiveness for "anything I might have done"? Those words ring hollow if you have pointed out to the person what they did that hurt you.
You know why? Because they are not owning the offense.
They don't even have to agree with your assessment of what happened, but if you spell it out and the best they can do is to say they're sorry for anything they might have done to hurt you, then that apology would seem to be insincere. Because they are not owning the hurt they caused you.
So why confess our sins if God already knows what they are? How does that benefit Him?
Well, it doesn't. It benefits us.
It causes us to own our sin before God instead of playing some word games that would allow us to gloss it over.
However, the payoff of genuine confession is huge.
Forgiveness.
What are some experiences you have had with confession?
June 27 - Grace
By grace I am saved through faith, and it is not of myself; it is Your gift, God. Ephesians 2:8
"I've got all eggs in one basket and I don't have a back up plan." My friend Bob spoke those words last week at a camp in Abilene.
The scariest thing about that concept is that it takes all control away from us and puts it in the hands of our Creator.
When we walk by faith and let all other things we might try to rely on for our lives go, God is honored and extends His saving grace to us.
But the key words might be "it is not of myself." Giving up control is tricky at best and horrifying at worst. We want God's grace, but often only if we feel like we've done our fair share and helped Him along in the process.
But then it wouldn't really be grace, would it?
How does this passage affect you?
"I've got all eggs in one basket and I don't have a back up plan." My friend Bob spoke those words last week at a camp in Abilene.
The scariest thing about that concept is that it takes all control away from us and puts it in the hands of our Creator.
When we walk by faith and let all other things we might try to rely on for our lives go, God is honored and extends His saving grace to us.
But the key words might be "it is not of myself." Giving up control is tricky at best and horrifying at worst. We want God's grace, but often only if we feel like we've done our fair share and helped Him along in the process.
But then it wouldn't really be grace, would it?
How does this passage affect you?
Saturday, June 26, 2010
June 26 - No
Now there is no condemnation to me who is in Christ Jesus and who does not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1
We get told "no" a lot, don't we?
No pets. No progress. No dessert. No raise. No way.
Of course, it seems like the word "no" carries a negative connotation most of the time, doesn't it?
Until we start listening to God.
No more sorrow. No more pain. No death. No disease. No disappointment.
Forgot one...no condemnation. When we commit our lives to Christ, we receive the very best "no" in the history of the word "no."
No condemnation.
How does that strike you?
We get told "no" a lot, don't we?
No pets. No progress. No dessert. No raise. No way.
Of course, it seems like the word "no" carries a negative connotation most of the time, doesn't it?
Until we start listening to God.
No more sorrow. No more pain. No death. No disease. No disappointment.
Forgot one...no condemnation. When we commit our lives to Christ, we receive the very best "no" in the history of the word "no."
No condemnation.
How does that strike you?
Friday, June 25, 2010
June 25 - For
God, if You are for me, who can be against me? Romans 8:31
When I was a first grader, I was playing GI Joe's with a third grader from down the street. When it came time to leave, he stole several of my GI Joe things. Of course, I was powerless to do anything to get them back.
But my older brother wasn't. He was three years older than the thief and proceeded to go down the street and retreive my stolen items.
There are plenty of ways the analogy will break down, but one way it works is that we are in a war with evil in this world that we are completely overmatched in.
Until we play our trump card. God ultimately trumps evil.
It's the right side to be on.
How does this passage make you feel?
When I was a first grader, I was playing GI Joe's with a third grader from down the street. When it came time to leave, he stole several of my GI Joe things. Of course, I was powerless to do anything to get them back.
But my older brother wasn't. He was three years older than the thief and proceeded to go down the street and retreive my stolen items.
There are plenty of ways the analogy will break down, but one way it works is that we are in a war with evil in this world that we are completely overmatched in.
Until we play our trump card. God ultimately trumps evil.
It's the right side to be on.
How does this passage make you feel?
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