Hard work means suffering pain
1 Peter chapter 2 verses 20-25.
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong; but if you do right and suffer for it and are patient beneath the blows, God is well pleased. This suffering is all part of the work God has given you. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in His steps: He never sinned, never told a lie, never answered back when insulted; when He suffered He did not threaten to get even; He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. He personally carried the load of our sins in His own body when He died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For His wounds have healed ours! Like sheep you wandered away from God, but now you have returned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls who keeps you safe from all attacks.
We all face fear at one point in our lives. God tells us to not be afraid by keeping our eyes upon Jesus. Who will protect us and guide us through. And it is because of our faith in Jesus that God will see us successful and give us more glory than we thought. And it is our seeing His love in our lives that our hearts burst with thanksgiving and worship.
It means we need to face our fears with the confidence that He is with us. I do not mean you expect Him to just take care of you, no. You are to know Him, to talk to Him and trust in Him. Read His Word and you will experience how Jesus suffered and that with each step He trusted in God.
We cannot know what is coming and we can try hard to manipulate the outcome and fail over and over again. Or we can speak to God and trust in Him. He knows what your future looks like and He wants to be part of that. He is your heavenly Father!
The problem with fear is the way it manipulates our time. It does not let up. We become exhausted and worn down leaving us vulnerable to making mistakes. It attacks our fresh newness, the place where God wants us to be. That is why it is so important to constantly seek God and His direction. All around you the world may be falling apart but God never changes. His arms are always wide open, welcoming you into His presence.
It is by seeking Him and seeing His touch upon your life that you will find peace. Our thoughts can make the things that are happening to us feel overwhelming causing us to feel failure, disappointment and the want to give up. You can call it want you want but the fact remains it has taken away your joy and blocked you from seeing God and from knowing Jesus and trusting in Him to be all that you need.
In order to be free from anything that pulls you down you need to be the one who breaks the bond. God has sent Jesus to be the one who can take your hand and walk you away into a life that does not control your every thought but allows you to feel the joy of each and every moment. It will not be easy getting there for all around you are those who want you to stay. Your every fiber of being will fight to keep you held down.
You like your friends, you like the feeling of getting high, you like the rich toys and the expensive vacations. It is just the times in-between that make you uncomfortable. You know the arguments about missed appointments, the responsibilities of life and the mounting bills. Why can't life be just the way you want it to be and no one bothers you about how you live it?
God wants you to know that you can get along with everyone and not be held down by anything. It is the joy you feel for Him that makes the whole difference on how you look at your life. You may think that your struggles are too much to overcome but they are not.
In Luke chapter 5, Peter had worked hard all night fishing and never caught a single fish. Jesus asked them to go out a little further and try fishing there, Peter was very doubtful but agreed to try. To their amazement the nets were bursting with fish, so many that they called out for more boats and they were filled to overflowing. They did not know what to think. Did they deserve such amazing blessings? Jesus asked them to follow Him and this time it would be the souls of men that they would attract.
In Psalms chapter 91 The Lord says, "Because he loves Me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in My name. When he calls on Me I will answer; I will be with him in trouble and rescue him and honor him. I will satisfy him with a full life and give him My salvation."
Wow, do we deserve such amazing love? What is it that you are doing that warrants such blessing and honor? The only thing that God wants from anyone is their love for Him. Jesus is the one who will pick you up and bring you into the presence of God. For it is our grateful hearts filled with the most amazing, most astonishing blessings that leads us to worship our heavenly Father. It is knowing that Jesus is the one who has given us salvation and that we are not perfect people. Yet despite our faults and our misgivings, Jesus asks us to follow Him and we do it gladly because we stand in awe of Him.
So, we still have temptation, we still have bills, and relationships to deal with. The choice to follow Jesus keeps us focused on the life we want with Him rather than the troubles the world can give us.
In our troubles, in our sufferings, Jesus is with us in the house of God, where we live knowing that our focus is on the joy of salvation.
Some say that is not realistic and that in order to survive you need to face your troubles head on and it is only you who is going to get through, not by believing in some unseen God. It is through Jesus only that we can find our way and we do have to face our troubles but we do it believing that God through Jesus will be with us. For He has done it time and time again to us, filling our hearts with peace and happiness.
In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon relates real living to life with God. You can experiment with everything and make judgements on what you think is the best outcome, but you will never find everlasting happiness unless you come to know Jesus. In Chapter 7 He talks about enjoying prosperity, but when the hard times strike, realize that it is God who gives one as well as the other. We are not perfect and hard times do come, but by knowing Jesus we are focused on Him, for He is the one thing that never changes and is always there.
King Solomon continues to say; "Tackle every task that comes along. and if you fear God you can expect His blessing." Don't be too anxious to have everything right now the way you want it. Talk to God about what you should do and then proceed knowing that you have asked, believing that you are walking in His presence. His anointing's come to those who seek Him.
In Daniel chapter 9 we read about the banishment of the Israelites to Babylonia because they chose to live the way they thought as right, worshiping things and not trusting in God's promises. We read how Daniel prayed for God to forgive and have mercy on His people, yet God said that no mercy would be given until Jesus would come. We are no different today. We choose the way we live rather than trust God to take care of us. Until, that is, that we seek Jesus.
When times are going good and things all seem to be right in line, then what use have you for giving thanks to God? You are blind to the fact of where your good fortunes are coming from. But when the time comes that you are stuck, tired and worn out, that is when you can see Jesus. It is through Jesus that God's mercies are given. Jesus is a person who suffered greatly so that we can come before God and have a life living in His presence.
Thank You Father for Jesus. Thank you for helping us realize that in order to have life with You we need to work hard to keep our focus on knowing Jesus, on Your wishes and on living a life that pleases You. At first we struggle, then we see! Wow! 😊
Psalms chapter 139 verses 23 and 24.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad, and lead me along the paths of everlasting life.
Romans chapter 8 verses 20 and 21.
For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death and decay---the things that overcame the world against its will at God's command---will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God's children enjoy.
Matthew chapter 6 verses 31-34.
So do not worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to. So do not be anxious about tomorrow, God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.
Psalms chapter 107 verses 1 and 2.
Say "Thank You" to the Lord for being so good, for always being so loving and kind. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has saved you from your enemies.
Lamentations chapter 3 verses 21-26.
Yet there is one ray of hope; His compassion never ends. It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His lovingkindness begins afresh each day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him, to those who seek for Him. It is good both to hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Joshua chapter 1 verses 8 and 9.
Constantly remind the people about these laws, and you yourself must think about them. For only then will you succeed. Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
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