Living by Faith When Life Is Hard
I want life to be easy. But eventually, a hard task, a hard question or an unexpected crisis comes along. However, life is more than finding what’s easy. It’s also about finding what’s meaningful in our lives.
Nervous tension tells us something should be different. Yet, the process of improving what is failing within us or around us, can be complicated or confusing. However, one of the many benefits of following Christ, is having His promises and principles to live by in life’s complications. He makes all the difference in the world, in my life.
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”( John 16:33)
How sweet the promise, that there is peace in knowing Jesus, the One who has overcome the world. He has the solution, no matter what the problem and His Word gives us the solution.
Scripture shows us what happens when we seek aid from something or someone else other than God. As He gave a warning to Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to me and resting in me, will you be saved. In quietness and confidence, is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see, is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!” (Isaiah 30:15-16)
The enemies of doubt, fear, and deception, chase us in the tensions of life. Once we’re in their grip, life’s difficulties begin to speak louder than our faith. But no matter how high the volume, they can still be quieted by God’s love. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Every time I start to fear, I always try to remember one thing right away, and it always helps and comforts me. The Bible says that God is not the one who gives us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love and a sound mind. So that leaves Satan as the one who wants us to fear, but there is no fear in perfect love, and Jesus's love is absolutely perfect.
Like Peter, when we turn our eyes on Jesus and keep our focus on him instead of all the cares of this troubled world, it is only then, that the Holy Spirit can bring us peace again in our hearts. The minute we start concentrating on our problem again, that's when our hearts begin to fear. As fallen human beings, we are naturally going to fear at times, but it's when we let fear take a firm grip on us, that it becomes a problem. But when we turn our eyes back upon Jesus and trust in Him, God can bring peace to our hearts once again, through His Holy Spirit.
Think about Jesus for just a moment. Picture in your mind what he looks like, as he looks you in the face with all the love he has for you. Picture him hugging you and comforting you. Were you fearful in that moment? No. See how peace works? You cannot have your mind on two things at once. When you keep your mind on Jesus, all the other fears go away, and you have proved that, by the experiment we just did. That's why the Bible says to keep your eyes and mind upon Jesus, and the cares of this world will grow faintly dim, in the light of His glory and grace. I know I'm not fearful when I think of Jesus, listen to a beautiful song about Him, sing my favorite songs of praise to Him, or watch a movie about Him. If I'm troubled, I watch Jesus of Nazareth on YouTube, and my fears just melt away. Or I'll pray or read my Bible. Jesus is the only one that can comfort my heart so fully and completely.
If you've already accepted the Holy Spirit's prompting to invite Jesus into your heart and life as your Savior, or you're thinking about it, choosing to come to Jesus, makes the difference in every difficulty. When something is more than we can handle, that's when our faith in God can do more than we can imagine. When we pray to God, our faith in Him and His promises, moves him to action on our behalf. Through Him, we find strength. In Him, we have victory!
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28
This is the promise of relief and comfort that Jesus offers.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, whatever is hard for me, is not too hard for You. Strengthen me with Your grace and empower me with Your truth. Help me to discover the beauty and power of trusting You, even when life is far from being easy. In Jesus' name, Amen.
May the reality of His love for you, ease the tension in your heart today.
Nervous tension tells us something should be different. Yet, the process of improving what is failing within us or around us, can be complicated or confusing. However, one of the many benefits of following Christ, is having His promises and principles to live by in life’s complications. He makes all the difference in the world, in my life.
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”( John 16:33)
How sweet the promise, that there is peace in knowing Jesus, the One who has overcome the world. He has the solution, no matter what the problem and His Word gives us the solution.
Scripture shows us what happens when we seek aid from something or someone else other than God. As He gave a warning to Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to me and resting in me, will you be saved. In quietness and confidence, is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see, is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!” (Isaiah 30:15-16)
The enemies of doubt, fear, and deception, chase us in the tensions of life. Once we’re in their grip, life’s difficulties begin to speak louder than our faith. But no matter how high the volume, they can still be quieted by God’s love. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Every time I start to fear, I always try to remember one thing right away, and it always helps and comforts me. The Bible says that God is not the one who gives us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love and a sound mind. So that leaves Satan as the one who wants us to fear, but there is no fear in perfect love, and Jesus's love is absolutely perfect.
Like Peter, when we turn our eyes on Jesus and keep our focus on him instead of all the cares of this troubled world, it is only then, that the Holy Spirit can bring us peace again in our hearts. The minute we start concentrating on our problem again, that's when our hearts begin to fear. As fallen human beings, we are naturally going to fear at times, but it's when we let fear take a firm grip on us, that it becomes a problem. But when we turn our eyes back upon Jesus and trust in Him, God can bring peace to our hearts once again, through His Holy Spirit.
Think about Jesus for just a moment. Picture in your mind what he looks like, as he looks you in the face with all the love he has for you. Picture him hugging you and comforting you. Were you fearful in that moment? No. See how peace works? You cannot have your mind on two things at once. When you keep your mind on Jesus, all the other fears go away, and you have proved that, by the experiment we just did. That's why the Bible says to keep your eyes and mind upon Jesus, and the cares of this world will grow faintly dim, in the light of His glory and grace. I know I'm not fearful when I think of Jesus, listen to a beautiful song about Him, sing my favorite songs of praise to Him, or watch a movie about Him. If I'm troubled, I watch Jesus of Nazareth on YouTube, and my fears just melt away. Or I'll pray or read my Bible. Jesus is the only one that can comfort my heart so fully and completely.
If you've already accepted the Holy Spirit's prompting to invite Jesus into your heart and life as your Savior, or you're thinking about it, choosing to come to Jesus, makes the difference in every difficulty. When something is more than we can handle, that's when our faith in God can do more than we can imagine. When we pray to God, our faith in Him and His promises, moves him to action on our behalf. Through Him, we find strength. In Him, we have victory!
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28
This is the promise of relief and comfort that Jesus offers.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, whatever is hard for me, is not too hard for You. Strengthen me with Your grace and empower me with Your truth. Help me to discover the beauty and power of trusting You, even when life is far from being easy. In Jesus' name, Amen.
May the reality of His love for you, ease the tension in your heart today.
