What is going on? Why is this happening? When will it be over? Where is God in all of this? Life may not be working out the way we hoped it would or wanted it to, but God is doing a thousand things for us today even if we don’t have our spiritual eyes locked in on any of them. Our experience may seem pointless and be painful, but we can be confident that He is walking with us and working for us. We don’t have to make sense out of everything that is going on or that we are going through; but we do need to trust that God is tirelessly at work in ways that would make sense if we knew all that He knows.
You Are Never Helpless Against Temptation
Every day there is a tug-of-war for your thoughts, feelings, motives, attitudes, words and actions, pulling you in the opposing directions of what sin entices you into and what God invites you into. Look to Jesus for help and look for His help to arrive as a way to leave the temptation, the power to say “no” to the temptation, a divine removal of the temptation, the arrival of someone to help you through the temptation, and / or a promise of something worth waiting for that is better than the temptation. Rejoice! You are never helpless against temptation for there is a throne of grace you can run to for help.
When God Says No
There is much I love about my heavenly Father. One thing is this: He doesn’t just let me do anything I want to do. He knows that there are many things I want to do which are not good for me or for other people. So, instead of letting me live selfishly, He removes some things from me in order to replace them with better things. His plans for my plans. His ways for my ways. His outcomes for my outcomes. The result isn’t that I experience less, but that I experience more. More peace. More joy. More hope. More purpose. Remember, when God says “No,” to something, He is saying “Yes” to something better.
He Didn’t Get You This Far Just To Get You T …
In this world, we will have tribulation. Trouble has either already made its way into your life, or it is on its way. But… Jesus has overcome the world. His power is greater than our enemies, His sovereignty rules over our battles, His promises reside in our hearts, His forgiveness ensures our futures, His presence empowers our lives, and His grace provides for our needs. Though He doesn’t always remove the threats from our lives, He does render them powerless to do anything that would prevent us from joyfully enduring and prevailing in the end. Take heart! He didn’t get you this far just to get you this far.
Jesus Is Ready, Willing And Able
We need help every single day to wisely and safely and joyfully and productively keep going in life. And we will have every single day’s worth of help that we need to keep going in life because we have Jesus! He is gracious, so He is ready to help us. He is loving, so He is willing to help us. He is mighty, so He is able to help us. Ready. Willing. Able. His grace means we don’t have to earn His help, His love means we don’t have to pry His help, and His might means we don’t have to doubt His help. Be confident and courageous today knowing that no matter what comes your way, the help of Jesus is on the way.
Right There With You
Who God is and what God does is powerful enough for the entire universe and personal enough for you. He knows everything that is happening in the universe. He knows you. He sustains everything that is enduring in the universe. He sustains you. He guides everything that is staying on course in the universe. He guides you. He helps everything that is fulfilling its purpose in the universe. He helps you. He blesses everything that is enjoyed rightly in the universe. He blesses you. No matter what today brings, remember this wonderfully good news: God isn’t just out there somewhere; He is right there with you.
He Will Help Us Every Moment
Devastating tragedy. Unexpected loss. Agonizing heartache. There is no way to be adequately prepared for sudden suffering when it blindsides us. We don’t see the hardship coming, but we can be sure of this: we will see the grace of God coming. He will not leave us alone to face the trials of this world. We don’t have the answers, but He will give us guidance. We don’t have the will, but He will give us strength. We don’t have optimism, but He will give us hope. We don’t have a lot of things on our own, but we do have Jesus. And He is everything. Take heart in this: He will help us every moment we cannot help ourselves.
God Has Solved It All
Here’s just one of the many things that is so amazing about God’s grace: we would still be walking in darkness if He had not shined His light upon our hearts. We would not have seen our sin for what it is, but even if we did… We would not have cared, but even if we did… We would not have been able to do anything to change. But God has solved all of this. His light exposes our sin, reveals His grace and leads us to faith in Jesus. Whoever follows Him does not live in darkness, but has the transforming light of life. Today, as we walk in the light, let us remember to praise God for drawing us to the Light of the World.
He Does Not Need Us, But We Do Need Him
Light bulbs depend upon a power source. Flowers depend upon water. Humans depend upon oxygen. Everything in creation depends upon something in order to continue existing and functioning as it was created. But God does not depend upon anyone or anything for He does not have any needs. He has all the power, all the wisdom, all the sovereignty, all the perfections from all categories to do all He desires. He does not need us, but oh, how we need Him! Let us praise the One Who never came into existence, will never go out of existence and never stops ruling for good our existence as we trust in Jesus.
His Plans Are Perfect
It may surprise us. It may confuse us. It may overwhelm us. But when it does, let us rest in knowing that the plan of God is good for us in the end, better than our own preferred ideas, and the best way of doing things to get what we’re both after. The mutual goal for our lives is simple: for God to be glorified in our happiness. We don’t have to choose between God being honored and us being happy. We have to choose between God’s way and our way for getting there. Trust Him today because… His plans are perfect even when we don’t think they are. Our plans are flawed even when we don’t think they are.
Still Works Miracles
Never give up on your family member who is far from God. Never stop praying for your friend who is cold toward God. Never lose hope over your loved one who doesn’t believe in God. We were all there in some way at some time in our past, and God changed our lives. He can do it again! He is still rescuing sinners by His grace so they can find their way to new life in Jesus. No matter how far away they are. No matter how cold they are. No matter how unbelieving they are. It takes a miracle for someone to repent and believe the gospel, but that’s exactly where we pin our hopes: Our gracious God still works miracles.
Praise Him During The Highs And The Lows
Life is a series of personal, societal and general changes. But there is one thing that remains the same: our God is worthy to be praised through all of the ups and downs of our lives. Therefore… We praise Him when we succeed, but also when we fail. We praise Him when things are comfortable, but also when they are difficult. We praise Him when we get what we want, but also when we miss out. God deserves our praise because of Who He is and what He does whether we are experiencing a high or a low. So… Let’s praise Him today as the One Who gets us to the mountaintops and gets us through the valleys.
Contentment Will Be Ours
We rob ourselves of satisfaction when we long too deeply for something more or something different than what God has given us. We will not like our lives when we think too much about how unlike they are from… The way it used to be in better times. The way we want it to be in current times. The way it seems to be for others at all times. But we can stop this robbery by trusting God knows best what to give us and by treasuring what God does give us in, through and because of the gift of His Son. Contentment will be ours if we stop focusing on what is absent from our lives and start rejoicing that Jesus is present in them.
God Never Stops Working
He doesn’t take a day off. He doesn’t take a break. He doesn’t take a nap. God never stops working for you and me. 24/7/365/Lifelong. He is continually doing things we cannot do, doing things on our behalf and doing things to ensure that He is honored in us, and we are happy in Him. Tirelessly. Flawlessly. Endlessly. God keeps going to work things out for our good, work to make us more like Jesus, work through us to change the world, and work to get us safely home. What grace! Today, we will not see all that God does for us. But let us never forget the good news that He will never stop doing His good work.
God Will Do For Us What He Says To Us
We face many uncertainties today as much of the circumstances and people in our lives are completely out of our control. But that doesn’t mean we have to head into the day with fear or worry that things will go from good to bad or from bad to worse. Instead, we can be of good courage and cheer because… God has promised to be with us. God has promised to help us. God has promised to provide for us. In the morning, let us remember that He has made these promises to us. In the evening, let us rejoice that He has kept these promises to us. In between, let us live certain of this: God will do for us what He says to us.
Our Lives Are Under The Careful Rule
First glances can be deceiving. Initial observations can be short-sighted. The opening paragraph doesn’t tell the whole story. While it is easy to see the obvious things happening in, around and through our lives, without a careful look through a gospel lens, there is a lot that we can miss. God is doing a thousand things for us today, and we may not have our spiritual eyes locked in on any of them. Rejoice! Our lives are under the careful rule of a wise, powerful and loving God Who is moving us along toward the glorious return of Jesus when all will make sense, and all will be made right, and all will be made new.
In The Lord
As Christians, what we do needs to be grounded in what Jesus graciously has done, is doing and will do for us. Otherwise, it will become a joyless, hopeless burden on us. It’s not just “be strong,” it’s “be strong in the Lord.” It’s not just “rejoice,” it’s “rejoice in the Lord.” It’s not just “hope,” it’s “hope in the Lord.” It’s not just “boast,” it’s “boast in the Lord.” It’s not just “have faith,” it’s “have faith in the Lord.” It’s not just “stand fast,” it’s “stand fast in the Lord.” Self-confidence and self-effort will sooner or later lead to self-despair and self-destruction. Remember: It’s not about trying really hard; it’s about relying on the Lord.
In The Boat With Jesus
Some storms build slowly. Some storms develop quickly. Some storms end quickly. Some storms disappear slowly. But… No matter how great or lasting the storm that arises in your life, Jesus rules in absolute control over when it rages and when it ceases. It doesn’t get in the way of His plan working out; it’s a way of working out His plan. Even storms serve His purposes for good! Listen… If you trust Jesus for eternal life, then trust Him during everyday life. And if the storm doesn’t scare Him, it shouldn’t scare you either. Because you are in the boat together, and He’s already promised to get you to the other side.
They Aren’t Too Heavy For Him
The weights we carry around inside of us come in many shapes and sizes. We face an ongoing onslaught of worry, uncertainty, fear, overwhelm, discontentment, indifference, pressure, grief, unrest, outrage and discouragement. Within these categories are countless daily instances which can let us down, get us down, put us down, shut us down, hold us down and run us down. But… There is a Burden-Bearer we can turn to for help for the stresses and messes of life. Nothing is too intense, too great, or too difficult for Him to replace with peace, hope and rest. Today, cast your cares on Jesus. They aren’t too heavy for Him.
He Delights To Do Good For You
God doesn’t just do good for you; He delights to do good for you. When it comes to blessing you both now and forever, your Heavenly Father is not grumpy or grumbly about it. You will find no hesitance or reluctance in Him as He continuously pours out over your life what He knows is good for you. He… Gladly guides you. Fervently forgives you. Eagerly equips you. Cheerfully comforts you. Readily refreshes you. Willingly welcomes you. Happily helps you. God is not forced to give us benefits and blessings in Christ. Oh that we might see His loving heart behind all He does for us: He doesn’t have to. He wants to.
