Tag Archives: fear

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Your Promise Land Is On The Other Side Of Your Pain

You must persevere to get to the other side

promise, 145:13, God is faithful, God's promises

Fresh into our first year of marriage, my husband and I were arguing over laundry, dishes, the dog, and everything under the sun. Fight after fight, fear had me questioning God and His promise for my future. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that God wasn’t doing what I assumed a good God would do.

Have you ever had your hopes dashed, a devastating thing happen, or a situation never seems to get better? Fear has an awful way of exaggerating our reality. Worry can snowball a small situation into a much larger problem.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God designed a place for His children to prosper. It’s a Promise Land where you and I can experience the most abundant life in store for us; a renewed marriage, restored health, a refreshed calling, released from the chains of addiction. God’s desire is for His children to dwell in this Promise Land free from fear, anxious thoughts, or negative thinking.

Just like the Israelites who stood at the cusp of Canaan, their Promise Land,

we might be standing one step away from our Promise Land and fear has us thinking of turning back.

They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.” Numbers 13:27-28 NIV

It took 40 years of walking the wilderness to find this Promise Land and now God’s children are letting fear make them want to throw in the towel. The Israelites are fearful of what they’ll find on the other side of this one last mountain to climb, but they’re soooooo close!

Isn’t it crazy what fear will have us doing?

Concerns overworked in our minds become worry. Worry digs up doubts that this situation will get better or that God will intervene. Doubts morph into dread and unbelief as we stand at the foot of our Promise Land. 

You might be ready to cash in 40 years or even four months of marriage. Maybe you’re thinking of running back to life as a slave to sin because you haven’t seen the harvest of your hard work just yet. Panic will produce all kinds of irrational thoughts as an attempt to control the situation.

Don’t give up yet, you’re almost there!

It takes perseverance to step into the Promise Land.Psalm 145:13, God is faithful, God's promises

It’s difficult to see from where you’re standing, but the situation isn’t as big as your fear wants you to believe. God is much bigger and your Promise Land just on the other side is much better. You’re at the foot of your Promise Land, don’t turn back now.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13b NIV

When we open God’s Word, we’re assured He’s working out His purpose here for our ultimate good and His glory. Fear may have you facing a delay or even defeat, but this is not your final destination. Your Promise Land is just on the other side of the mountain.

Whether your circumstances change or not, hold onto this eternal hope: Jesus is still on the throne, our Father is faithful, and His promises are true for you today.

I promise you!

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When fear is on the rise, pray it down

Philippians 4:6-8, pray, fear, what if, if only

Two of the greatest paralyzers to living a life of faith, to living life fully, is found in the ‘What if…’ and ‘If only…’ These two phrases grip our spiritual muscles and tighten a hold with possibilities we can see.

What if… If only…

Philippians 4:6-8, pray, fear, what if, if onlyThey stun our steps forward with anticipation of what might happen and consequently keep us from doing what God has called us to do.

In this moment of swirling thoughts, here is a gentle reminder to surrender those fears in prayer and invite peace in by filling up on ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life’.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

When the feeling of fear arises, do not entertain the ‘what if’s’ or engage with the possibilities of ‘if only’. Exchange it for an opportunity to pray.

We have a human tendency to rehash the situation, replay words and overthink outcomes in our mind, so when you have finished giving your fears to God, control the course of your mind by thinking on God’s Truths. Put your thoughts in their place.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

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Fear is a platform for faith

Fight Fear with God's Truth

freedom, no fear, God's truth, the gift of God's truth, Jesus is freedom

Fear attacks us in the areas God wants to use us. Your greatest fears are platforms to step out in the faith that God has given you the power to overcome. Where you feel weak, is the opportunity to put the spotlight on God’s strength.

Godly fear is out of reverence and love. It’s a holy fear that says, “God Almighty, I see you on that throne and I trust you. I know your intentions for me are good.”

Satan will twist God’s good things — His word, His gifts, His work – around tormented thinking that makes you want to curl up in a corner. The devil wants you to entertain these thoughts in your mind and retreat. It’s a death trap for the serpent to coil more negative thoughts around that dream to suffocate the joy, the power and the freedom that God planted in the garden.

freedom, no fear, God's truth, the gift of God's truth, Jesus is freedomGod has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:7 NIV

You have the Holy Spirit inside you that gives you the ability to resist fear. There is power here in the name of Jesus to stand up in the middle of a storm and say, ‘No more! I refuse to believe the lies.’

You have the power to welcome fear or resist it. You have the power to let peace in or let fear rule. Fear can be the stage of your faith.

The enemy’s cunning device of fear is only a smoke screen. Satan uses fear to steal the life out of your dreams. This fear will convince you to give up the gifts God gave you out of insecurity. We might trade in God’s big things that require a leap of faith for a false sense of security in the ‘safe’ stuff we can see.

Fear from the gates of hell will force you to act fast. Fear is hasty. God’s fruit of patience knows how to wait.

The thief uses a heavy and oppressive fear to torment you, paralyze you and prevent you from moving forward in God. The devil uses fear as bondage. Our Savior came to bring us freedom.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived the things that God has planned for you. The Lord Almighty is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you could ask and think.

Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. John 14:1 NIV

In the name of Jesus, you have the power to resist fear and stand through the storms of life. Holy fear gives you this ability to be courageous despite all you’re facing. Holy fear knows our Creator, Almighty God, is good and in His image, He intends good things for His children.

Fear says we’re alone. The gift of God is His Truth. Your Heavenly Father has never left your side. In Jesus, there is freedom, power, love and a sound mind.

Where is God calling you to step out in faith in this freedom of His power, love, and peace? Where do you need to shut off the feelings of fear, the consuming thoughts of doubt and confusion and surrender to trust in Him?

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Silence the Fear

Are you giving fear permission to access the promises God has made?

There’s an enemy of our souls and he’d love nothing more than a permanent place to filter every plan God prepared for you. Fear is crippling. Fear causes us to react irrationally. Fear drives a wedge between our relationships.

Today, we see natural disasters, racial tension and political division panicking our world. Personally, you might be suffering from a broken heart, loneliness or struggling with becoming another statistic; falling victim to addiction, divorce or suicide.

This isn’t Satan’s first rodeo. The author of confusion and doubt will use your insecurities to stir up questions in every corner you put your confidence. The enemy will use this freak tidal wave of uncertainty and hesitation to drown every declaration you were once so sure of.

Even our past carries the power to pause present day promises if we allow pain to produce the kind of panic that alters our perception of truth.

Fear likes to grip the best intentions and suffocate God’s truths with these burdens from a hardened heart. Be careful here because good decisions don’t come out of our reactions to fear. Worry won’t provoke positive changes.

Jesus says, “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)

fear, peace, God's presenceThis peace Jesus gives is not of this world. He’s the only one who can give you lasting peace. In His presence, there is an absence of fear. It’s a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Jesus silences fear.

The pain of our past will pursue our present-day stories until we give the hurt a proper burial and lay these insecurities to rest permanently.

The pain of our past wants to prove nothing has changed. Peace is asking you to step out from the shadow of the past and process life through the lens of Jesus. As you learn to let go, cling to this deep reassurance that His unflinching love, His unfailing hope, and His very best for you is here in His presence. Draw near to this peace.

When it looks like He’s not changing the hard things, know that the Father’s delays are designed to draw out the darkness in our hearts by drawing us into Him.

“The breaking of you will be the making of you. A new you. A stronger you.” (Lysa TerKeurst)

In this world, there will be trouble. The storms will swirl through your emotions with debris from other people’s messes but you still have the final say. You have a choice to settle your mind and steady your stance on this truth: Jesus has overcome the world, fully, completely, finally and for all of time. It’s already done.

Fear only resides within us. And, the perfect love of Christ resides in us also. You may feel fear but you don’t have to live fear. At the feet of Jesus is where you are set free.

I pray for peace to permeate every part of your heart wherever fear has found a grip. Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect peace. You are THE way, THE truth, and THE life. We put our feelings and thoughts into your hands. We are determined to dismantle the doubt and fear as we invite your peace, Jesus, to stand guard at the door of our hearts and minds today. May Your perfect peace invade every thought and emotion that crosses our mind, and may this peace of Yours preside as our stronghold today, Jesus. Prince of Peace. It’s in Your name above all names that we commit these requests, Jesus, Amen.

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The Beginning of Community

Starts in your soul

Minutes pass slowly, as I breathe in the gentle air of Heaven. The resistance in life that tugs on every string I try to pull has frustrated my once settled soul. All these outward cravings clouding the inward search are a clue that my living has become a cover up to the cries beneath what can be seen.
He says it’s courage that has led me down a difficult road, beyond the grave of woundedness and denial, to enter into this desert of being alone.
“Do not run,” He says, “just be still and quiet. Listen to your own struggle.”
It seems that while the silence grows deeper, I become more and more aware of a presence embracing my soul. And as a deep peace fills the empty space, I know it can only be Christ in me that recognizes Christ in all that is surrounding.
“Here I am!” I yell.
community, community with God, peace, community with othersThrowing his arms around me, the warmth holds me like I am His. Like He has been here the whole time waiting. We look at each other for a long while, until the corners of my smile tremble and the tears flush away the last remnants of fear.
Collapsing on this trail of mercy all my thoughts are safe with Him. “I am tired, Lord. I’m not sure which way to go. Tether my wandering heart. Every anxious thought, secure it to your promises. For the love, Lord! I want nothing without You. You know this. I’m not looking for answers. I’m listening to the questions. Breathe, O breath of God.”
He offers me the chance to stay alone and take the risk of entering into my own experience, without being immersed in more knowledge or illusive advice.
So I remain.
He assures my desperate heart that unknown beauty is growing just below. “One day this desert will be a garden,” He insists.
Bringing my heart to this place of community with God alone is the beginning. My soul sways with the breeze. Spirit, breathe Your heart in me. Carve your ways into the fibers of my being.
From now on, wherever You go, or wherever I go, all the ground between us will be Holy Ground. And this is where my community begins.
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Crack the Confusion

3 Steps That Will Determine Every Decision

Are you struggling to make a decision? The battle over your time can keep your strengths and dreams locked up in procrastination, confusion, and forgetfulness. Life is based on making decisions, and not making them holds you hostage to compromise in your calling.

You can spend more time dreaming about tomorrow and rob the opportunities to walk out the steps today. Moses used his speech as an excuse. Jeremiah and Gideon used their age. There’s no shortage of excuses that can tie up the process.

Whether you are a parent, a spouse, a leader, or someone passionate about a cause, your choices need internal clarity and courage versus external social pressure.

Lord, grant me the boldness that I may speak forth (Acts 4:29).

The truth is that what you do today will determine whether you have success with tomorrow. And, some invitations that look like opportunities today can actually distract and derail you from the best use of time.

“Doing something good is not good enough”, says Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. This is not selective enough criteria for your time. So how do you start making strategic decisions that support the work of your life?

McKeown offers advice on how to make the decisions based on what’s essential to your life. He suggests starting with this question, ‘What is most important right now’? McKeown recommends three steps to benchmark a discerning ‘yes’:

  • Identify the three most important priorities in your life.
  • Use your priorities to decide what the criteria for saying ‘yes’ to an opportunity will be.
  • Set a plan for the next 90 days centered on this criteria and these priorities.

Fear can have you struggling to say ‘no’. You might be afraid this answer will shut down other opportunities, or result in a frayed relationship. You might be tempted to accept a request based on a ‘what if’ scenario you’ve dreamed up. Just say ‘no’.

I have boldness and access with confidence by faith in Christ (Eph. 3:12). I boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man will do to me” (Heb. 13:6).

You must eliminate every excuse that is hindering you from doing what you have been called to do. There is no rationalization worth stopping the success God has already set before you. God’s grace is sufficient.

I come boldly to the throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).

Successful people are doers of the Word (James 1:22). This means you can’t sit passively and expect a lucrative life. If you want to experience the full provision of God’s covenant operating in your time, then you must be proactive with your response to these decisions.

When you waver or avoid choices that need to be made, you open up a door to doubt. When we don’t have clarity, the enemy capitalizes on the uncertainty with more questions to cause confusion.

You can’t be slow to act when God is telling you to move. You are commanded in Romans 12:11 to be “fervent in spirit [and to] serve the Lord.”

When we feel like we’re going nowhere, this keeps our minds feeling defeated. And if we’re not careful, we can become tired and idle. So let’s make that plan centered around our priorities and start making bold decisions based on the Lord’s calling in our lives.

I will be strong and courageous; I will not be afraid, for the Lord is with me wherever I go (Josh. 1:9).

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This post, Crack the Confusion, by Trisha Keehn, appeared first on LiftUpYourDay.com

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Put a Ring Around Your Dreams

Commitment. Motivation. Self-discipline. Self-control. Patience.

Just like relationships, our goals take more than just a desire. The beginning will test you more in ways you never dreamed.

Mine is sharing God’s truths with others. That might be writing stories to inspire others or encouraging hearts around the table.

But there are times when I feel like calling it quits.

There are days when I’m tempted to throw my hands up in frustration and give in.

There are nights I go to bed convinced God chose the wrong person, and then wake up in the morning even more discouraged and confused.

There are obstacles that feel like dealbreakers, a circling of ideas that seem to go on forever, droughts that will seem unbearable, and resistance that easily lead to an undoing if I let them.

There are days when the devil is determined to get his way. And on those days, he is relentless in trying to rip this dream apart.

Maybe this sounds like days you’ve had too.trishakeehn.com, commitment, core, dreams fail

A couple months ago I decided to take my goals to the next level; I put a ring on it. This promise carries financial weight, responsibility, and accountability; I hired an assistant.

Making this commitment is one way that keeps me from throwing in the towel and giving up.

This helps me keep my pledge to God, grounded in faith and wholly non-negotiable.

If you don’t have a sense of commitment, your dream is very likely to fail. Make it a covenant that runs to the core of your being.

If giving up is an option in the back of your mind, you’re already there.

Step into your dream with a level of commitment that is unmistakable and undeterred.

trishakeehn.com, I will not give inYou have to have faith that says, ‘no matter how hard it gets, I will not give in.’

No matter how great the obstacle, you can work it out.

No matter how tempted you are to quit, you can make this dream work.

You have to know in your heart that God will bring you through any hardship and trial the devil throws your way, if you just stay the course, and remain in God’s will.

Fear is the devil’s playground and he loves dragging us there with him. But no decision based on fear is ever the right choice.

A life of faith says if I step out and do the right thing, God’s blessing will follow.

Faith is believing that God istrishakeehn.com, faith is believing always in control. And that he always has your best interest in mind, even when things don’t work out as you might expect.

The blessings of living out this God-given dream are immense. There is nothing more satisfying than living in the call He’s placed in your heart. There is nothing more intimately rewarding than experiencing God’s hand in and through you.

Don’t miss out on God’s greatest blessing for your future. Seal your commitment and then watch the floodgates of blessing open wide.

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What’s holding you back?

I’ve got this guilty love affair with sugar and The Bachelor on a Friday night, especially this season when Mr. Single status is representing my home state.

Sadly, I get sucked into the vortex of other people’s love lives; emotions are high, and the entertainment value even higher. Romance unravels, hearts get broken, and thankfully, it’s not mine.trishakeehn.com, The Bachelor, the final rose, single life, dating, relationships,

With a carton of coffee caramel ice cream in hand, my heart securely single and the final three love struck ladies left on screen, a shocking elimination silenced living rooms around the world (maybe that’s a bit dramatic).

As the girl getting the goodbye swept away tears, her painful profession reverberated in my ears, “The whole reason of putting my guard up was to deflect this feeling that I’m feeling right now.”

The harsh truth shuddered my skin and skidded all over the tarmac in my mind.

That night alone in my house, a spring of tears erupted and rushed over me like a levee had broken. A sense of sadness over the reality of staying single collided with the grace of a guarded, grieving soul.

I understood her pain. I too had been wading through long seasons of loneliness just so I didn’t jump into a disastrous marriage on lame legs. And then I had deducted that when you’re the only one holding your heart, hurt can’t rip it out.

I had the equation for life all wrong.

The concept of Christ is giving your life over to love and trusting God to raise dead bones from the grave.

Staying single seemed wise to a girl with deep wounds. Year after year, I called it being brave. Yet, I think sometimes we clothe sheepish fear in a big, bad wolf costume and call it courage when it’s really just a coward’s heart dressing up.

Sometimes we get so used to struggling in life that we’re crippled when the striving stops. That woman’s words cut through my comfortable core and struck seeds of control, fear, and shame.

We hold back our hearts with the past, but God wants to rebuild better than before.

As I sat there processing the pain and honesty, it began to tangle in this big knot called hope.

Chances are, you have dug a hole and hid some things too.

In the Parable of the Talents, the guy who buried what he was given got nothing at the end of the story (see Matthew 25: 14-30). Those who walked the line of risk with their treasures were returned double the portion.

Shaking my head. Kingdom transactions don’t make earthly sense.

God’s healing power takes broken, disappointed, desolate places and makes them stronger, encouraged, full – and free!

This should be all the more reason we use everything we’ve got.

So what’s holding you back?

Don’t let the past prevent you from accepting that God mends to multiply in dividends that will satisfy the desires of your heart.

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Breaking through and not breaking down

When God has a breakthrough for us, the devil brings a breakdown. The more faith you live with, the more fear the enemy stirs up.

Essentially, the enemy releases resistance to hold you back, but God uses that resistance to strengthen the heart muscle for an increase. When you are met with push back, this is the time to push through the burn and work that faith muscle to exhaustion.

Hold out your hope! Rest is around the corner.

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Exercise doesn’t evoke excitement from many people. But we push through to build endurance. We burn out muscles til tiny tears break into the deeper fibers of our strength, and repair themselves when we rest. This is what produces results! Here’s where we see the increase.

Here’s another truth about breakthroughs: You can’t live out today on yesterday’s faith.

As your strength increases, so must the weight of resistance and level of endurance. As you stretch those muscles to reach new goals today, it will require heavier lifting and longer distances to see the benefit and growth tomorrow.

Yesterday’s routines won’t work on what’s required of you today.

You may need the edge of additional experience or education. Perhaps it’s an increase in peace or  prayer. Maybe it’s more like-minded relationships or intentional living.

If you’re ready for the rise, it’s time to press into the pain and prepare for a gain.

Here’s a final story I want to share with you.

Last week, I woke up the morning of an important meeting that would circle the completion of a book I’m writing. Locking up my house before dawn even broke the horizon, I stood stunned in shock. It appeared as if a violent storm took place within the confines of my car. invitationsOpening the driver side door, I noticed a mess in my passenger seat; a scattering of invitations to church that once sat neatly in the console.

Is it strange my heart smiled with compassion at this?

It reminded me that God meets us all no matter where we’re at or how deep we’re in it. We could be making a mess of a situation and He’s there in it, reaching out to invite us back to Him.

Naturally, my hope is that one of these invitations to church made it into the burglar’s bag of my belongings and in this moment is nudging him/her from a nightstand. Not because I care about getting my stuff back (although the RayBans would be nice), but moreso that a hurting heart who felt there was nowhere else to turn that night would find Jesus is all he/she ever needed.

Maybe your heart is breaking over a lost dream or relationship… God is meeting you there. Maybe you are breaking through… He is on the other side waiting on you.

Lean into the resistance to see results. Whatever you’re facing, just remember a showdown with the devil is God’s opportunity to show off; He is the one and only, great I AM.

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Facing Fear and the Truth

Three years ago, when I turned 30 (for the first time), my heart skipped a billion beats in anticipation of the glorious days this era would bring.

This is when life begins.

It is the monumental moment when a 20-something mistake-maker finally grows into a mature and sophisticated version of herself, with less baby fat.

The first few moments were great! But in the following months, everything came crumbling down. My job. Relationship. Friendships.

And my health. A brisk walk was no longer burning off that pumpkin spice latte! I failed to factor an aging body into my fantasy of a ripe, slightly older age.

With my imagination zapped by this rather rude reality, another nightmare ravaged my picturesque vision of 30… Adult acne.

I’m talking about cystic craters too deep for even over-the-counter creams and pill-popping prescriptions to zap.

Disturbed by my appearance, I caked on clearasil and tried facials, doctors, and dermatologists. Helplessly, the barrage of blemishes continued to plague my life.

If you’re a man reading this, it may mean nothing. If you’re a woman, you probably feel my pain.

Society makes it worse with its infatuation of a selfie-centered culture. Sure, I can keep my camera at bay, but friends and family are a different story. Everyone wants a picture. Smile. Cheese. Snap. It’s done before you know it.

Two years went by and my face was still a mess. I opted to see skin ‘aesthetician’. She suggested a procedure that would extract cysts caught beneath the surface of skin. A fine needle injected several skin layers deep, heats to the temperature of lava. Painful? That’s an understatement.

The nurse gave this disclaimer when she finished the hour long session: What you’re about to see will heal in about a month or two.

IMG_20121201_205516My heart hiccuped at “a month or two”. Where was that vital note an hour ago?

Blood flow stopped when I saw the reflection.

Embarrassment. Humiliation. Sadness. Any little bit of self esteem I was holding onto, all flushed out the moment that mirror reflected hideous wounds on my face.

My mind conceded in defeat. How could I face job interviews looking like this? How could I be seen in public?

For fear a depression could lead to that dark place I had been just a year before, I bought a one-way ticket home to heal.

It was December. My folks were happy there was timeline on my stay. However, my heart grew heavy as every distant relative cringed at first sight of the scabs. The infamous family gathering Q & A’s ensued, reminding me that I still had no job, no house and no plan.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22

Under the exhausting, emotional pressure, my fake confidence finally collapsed in tears. Discreetly, I took my meltdown to the bathroom. Never have I seen a room with so many mirrors. Gigantic reflections all staring back at me and projecting the very image I now hated.

Standing face to face with the fear, I saw another reflection. A deep-rooted bitterness. Anger. Pride. Defeat.

This scarred tragedy on the surface was transparent to the emotional crisis going on underneath.

The outside concerns distracted my reflection of an inside condition.

As I peered past my skin and saw my soul, my  mind understood the deep rooted pain buried beneath. This is when my focus shifted.

My knees met the ground with prayers for a sickness others couldn’t see. For restitution. For restoration. For peace.

Suffering can produce unspeakable intimacy with our Creator. Never more than in the furnace of my affliction have I experienced the profound presence of God.

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Job 42:5

The fire refined jagged edges and impure desires. In my weakness of pain and suffering, God purified and polished a radiant bride of Christ.

…I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah 48:10

My mistakes still blemish the beauty of His design, but suffering produced character and growth (James 1:2-4). God used these hardships to mature my faith and develop a resilient spirit.

He can redeem pain in our lives. We serve a God and Savior who knows suffering.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Through this suffering, the transformation of my mind has blossomed into a beautiful daughter, mirroring her Father’s image. Though I know suffering will still come in seasons, my heart is awakened and wrapped up in His love, basking in the glorious gift of His presence today.

You may be reading this in the midst of your own suffering. Perhaps a lot of things have come against you and it seems like the more you pray, the worse it gets. You might be doing the right thing, yet the wrong thing is happening. It would be easier to throw in the towel now.

Look closer. Stand steady. Rest in His Truth. You’ve come too far to stop.

Whenever life gets difficult and the lies bombard your mind, that’s the time to dig in your heels. Put on a new attitude because you are closer to real freedom and victory.

Doing the right thing in the midst of our pain and suffering when it feels so wrong, is what grows us in deeper places and stays with us longer than what’s on the surface.

Instead of being bitter and discouraged, look in the mirror and see through the surface. Keep standing, keep praying, keep hoping and stay in faith even as the intensity turns up!

Jesus, my Healer and Deliverer, You have seen the things I’ve been through. You know what I’ve had to endure. And I trust You. I see the places you have taken me from and I am encouraged by Your promises that this is not my destination. You are working behind the scenes.

I have full confidence my current suffering is refining and growing my intimacy with You, Heavenly Father, as perseverance leads me in the path to victory. I keep my faith and trust in You and expect to see Your mighty hand in Jesus’ name! Amen.