I have been through many trials in my life. Some have been heart wrenching, difficult and stressful. But there was one thing that was constant through all of this, and it was my faith in God. I often didn’t know how He would get me through it, but I knew He would. Obedience to God is confirming that you are in agreement with His plan. It may not be in your timing, but God always delivers His children through every trial, every battle and every heartache in this life. Obedience teaches us trust. Obedience is an act of …
Trials
Reading: Romans 5:2-5 Everyone endures trials and tribulations throughout their lifetime, even Christians. Jesus didn’t promise that if we followed Him, our lives would be easier from that point forward. On the contrary, He warned of the opposite happening. He told us the world would hate us (John 15:18-19). Life can be rough as a Christian, especially when standing for Christ. People don’t typically like to hear they’re doing something wrong, and so, when we bring those sins to the attention of the wrongdoer, defensive walls immediately rise. Christians often suffer persecution because we hold high values and speak out …
Grow Through What You Go Through
No one thinks to themself, ‘I’d like to go through a trial today.’ Yet we face trials daily. I’ve been through many trials in my life and can look back and see how much it changed me. Now, I’m the first to admit I don’t like struggles, but they have taught me many lessons. Lean into the season, know that God’s there too, and become a better you on the other side. Psalms 44:22 – “Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Dianne Petrey
Trusting in the Power of Christ
Early in my ministry, I often exhausted myself trying to manage everything. Though I knew with certainty my assignment came directly from God, I routinely behaved as if He expected me to carry the load alone. As if results came through sheer grit rather than the works of His hands. When one of my team members forgot or failed to complete a task, I felt responsible to step in and catch every ball that happened to get dropped. Though I talked a great deal about faith-filled, surrendered living, I routinely behaved as if our results depended on me. Unfortunately, …
Overcoming Difficulties
James 1:2-9 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect …
A Place of Preparation
No training, correction, or discipline seems pleasant at the time it is being administered to us, but afterwards we come to appreciate it. (Hebrews 12:11) Have you ever found yourself in a place where you didn’t necessarily want to be? Often times when God wants to take us from where we are, to where He wants us to be, He’ll place us in certain situations that will truly test our faith. He rarely takes us to where He wants us to be without training, correcting and disciplining us. He takes the good and the bad, the ups and …
Crushed But Not Broken
“The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” – Isaiah 61:1 “the lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your understanding. in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 We are all at …
God’s Plan
My dad liked to move a lot. I am remembering one move in particular this morning. I was almost 9 and I was glad to leave the school I was attending. But I also had to leave Nipper behind. He was one of my favorite dogs of all time. A border collie mix, he went everywhere I did. We lived in the country and I spent a lot of time in the woods, at the creek on our property and riding my bicycle up and down the red dirt roads. He was always at my side. The day we left …
A Passionate Trust
“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1–3 (emphasis added) Have you ever been so unsure of your next step that all you know to do is hang on to Jesus and desperately hope that you …