How comforting these words spoken to Joshua and the Israelites as they tried to conquer the land of Canaan. God also gives us these promises and to claim them, we need to be strong and courageous. I believe God doesn’t put us in a place, without giving us what we need to be there. As I am called to new territory, (can be experiencing the loss of a spouse, parent/child or anything) I humbly trust God will supply my needs and give me strength to go on.
Tragedy may come into our lives, but we are not alone and awareness of God’s presence, increases our sense of security, ultimately filling us with joy. Much of our life is lived in darkness – uncertainty, estrangement, illness, pain and more. Our hope during hardships, comes from God’s steadfast love and seeking His presence through prayer, immersing ourselves in Scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us in our everyday situations. This provides the confidence that God will never abandon us, leaving us to recognize His hand in every situation and helping us to take a long view.
I read this analogy for the way God changes our life in The Word Among Us, Daily Meditations, April 21, 2017, “Everyone knows that if you place a tea bag in a cup of water that water will be transformed. It’s no longer just water, but a cup of tea with a distinct color and flavor. This is the Holy Spirit in us. Each time we ponder the Scriptures, we are steeping ourselves in God.” Trusting and believing God’s love is inexhaustible and no matter how much of God’s generous love we experience, there’s always more for the asking.
Finding Jesus in the dark requires the faith of reaching and calling out. When we do, through our doubts, we discover He was there all along. We pray for the courage that comes from sensing and knowing He is always beside us. They key is to search for the Lord during the troubles. We gain victory over our fear through trusting in God’s ever-present help. While we are lead where we do not want to go, our reaction is usually resistant, not surrender. God’s ways of working in the world are often beyond our comprehension and by grace hopefully we can see from His perspective, trusting He has our best interest at heart.
The more challenging the journey, the more frequently we need to voice our confidence, praying, “Lord, I trust in Your unfailing love.” God promises us we are loved and not alone. We are in His arms and safe. We are encouraged to let go of any baggage, which prevents us from moving forward in life. Let us wait in His presence so our strength will be renewed. A good reminder are the words from Luke 21:19, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Will you welcome a deeper release of the Holy Spirit into your life to guide and strengthen you?