The Promise of Suffering

There are many promises for the believer given by God in the scriptures, but there’s one promise we’re often hesitant to claim, or even acknowledge as part and parcel of our fellowship with Jesus Christ. It’s the promise of suffering.

Which of us, left to ourselves, would choose suffering over joy? And yet when suffering comes, haven’t we experienced God’s grace in its midst?

For there is also a promise in suffering. The loss of a dream, a loved one, a job, good health or independence, all these temporal experiences for the believer bring about eternal gain—in a realization of the need for Christ’s sustaining strength, for His peace that is deeper than our understanding, and for the sweetness of intimacy in our trust in and fellowship with Him, tested through the fires of disappointment, setback, or grief.

[ … ]

Beauty in the Tension

“The kingdom of God is the kingdom of life, health, beauty, salvation, and freedom (to name just a few of its qualities). The enemy of the kingdom, whom the Bible refers to as Satan, is always attacking that life, that health, that beauty. He attacks spiritual freedom. He wants us to be paralyzed. His relentless attacks are why things are not the way they are supposed to be—yet. But in the midst of all the tensions of life, the kingdom of God comes crashing in. It usually crashes in quietly, though.

…God has this amazing judo move that He uses to attack the kingdom of darkness. He causes all things to work for good to those who love Him, the Bible says. God takes what is meant for evil and turns it for good, if we trust Him at those [ … ]

A Special Place

“Resist the urge to say you’re too old, too young, too busy, too scared, too worn out, too washed up, too anything to be useful to God. Truth is, you’ve always been part of his love-the-world plan. Need proof? From the day he formed you in your mother’s womb, God has watched over your every step, making sure you got where you needed to go.
When you stumbled, it was God who steadied you.
When you fell, it was God who rescued you.
When you lost your way, it was God who carried you home.
Why? Because he knows you fully, loves you completely, and holds you close to his heart. God will never give up on you…You claim a special place in his Big Picture.”

Excerpted from The Girl’s Still Got It by Liz Curtis Higgs [ … ]

Taking Flight with a “Yes”

“Neither of us knew quite what to think, but we exited the car, stood with our arms and faces raised toward the heavens, and sang. It was pretty amazing, especially for a couple of conservative Sisterchicks like us. I don’t even remember what we sang. What I do remember is that something in our spirits took flight that August morning in the moss-scented forest. We were willing to take a risk. Try something new. Trust God in a new way.”

Excerpted from Take Flight! by Robin Jones Gunn and Cindy Hannan

---

Daily Reflection: How can you show your trust in God today?

Love Like I Couldn’t Describe

“‘You don’t really believe God saves tears, do you?’

‘I think he counts them.’

‘Why would he do that?’

‘That’s when he’s the most attentive.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘He hangs out around human suffering.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Look at where Jesus went. Where there was pain, there was Jesus.’

‘But you’re Jewish.’

‘Just on my mother’s side.’

‘Then he must be at the hospital a lot. You think he’s here beside Bender?’

‘Of course.’

‘Do you ever feel him?’ she asked.

‘I started out just talking to him, like he’s a regular guy. With due respect, he’s, well, God and all that. But then one day, he was just there.’

‘Did he say anything?’

‘Not out loud. But I felt him with me, like he was there listening to me.’

‘What was he like?’

‘Love like I [ … ]

Using Your Dash

“Looking at old tombstones, I can’t help but recognize that entire lives are now reduced before me to two dates and one little dash…

When you think about it, we don’t have control over many things in life. We didn’t get to decide where we were born, who our parents are, or which time period and culture we face. We don’t get to decide the dates on our gravestone. We don’t know when our time on this earth will be up. It could be next week or next year or decades away. Only God knows. Our lives are in His hands. But there is one thing we have a vast amount of control over. We get to decide how we’re going to use our dash…

The psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; [ … ]

A Reward for Doing

“Jesus reveals why you and I can rejoice, even in the worst circumstances. Why? Because there is a direct connection between something you do for Him on earth and something “great” He will do for you in heaven.

Notice that Jesus describes it as a reward for doing, which would distinguish it, for example, from a gift you receive for believing. Also, the reward is specifically and personally yours if you behave in one way, but is not yours if you behave in another (for example, if you ran away under the pressure of persecution).

You see, Jesus isn’t asking you and me to enjoy misery on His behalf. Instead He’s saying that the consequences in heaven for certain actions on earth will be so wonderful that simply knowing they’re coming—and knowing that they will be great—can transform how [ … ]

The Creator’s Rhythm

“Nature gives us the unexpected, but it also gives us rhythm. When God created the world, He designed the sun to rise in the east and set in the west at basically the same times each day, allowing for the seasonal changes. We can depend on our Creator for this rhythm day after day, week after week, year after year, as it has been since the beginning of time.”

Excerpted from Plain Wisdom by Cindy Woodsmall

---

Daily Reflection: When was the last time you took a step back to appreciate the steadfastness of God through the beauty of His creation?

Modern Miracles

“People ask why so many miracles occurred in ancient days but not in our present time. I contend that there are just as many miracles occurring today, in the lives of ordinary people. But I also assert that most of us don’t look for miracles, don’t recognize them for what they really are, and don’t really believe them to be of divine origin even if their miraculous nature is noticed.”

Excerpted from To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD

---

Daily Reflection: What miraculous things have you seen God do recently, even though they may have been small?

Living a Joyful Life

“Live a life that truly thrives, one that constantly capitalizes on God-given joy.

Let me urge you again to strive for this joy—not just for your own sake but also for others in your life, such as your spouse, friends, colleagues, and especially your children. It’s the only life you’ll ever have. And no one can live it for you. It matters not if you have a thousand excuses for why your life isn’t joyful. At the end of the day, it’s far better to have a good life than a good excuse!”

Excerpted from The Seasons of God by Richard Blackaby

---

Daily Reflection: How do you impact those around you with your joy?