It is only natural to get discouraged, even depressed, by your struggle with difficult circumstances.
Consider this: The fact you have a struggle is evidence that the Holy Spirit is motivating you to resist. God says: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
~ Jeremiah 29:11
God has recorded all of human activity and knows the outcome. When
hard times come into your life, don't dwell on the circumstance. As it
is written: Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
~ Isaiah 46:10. God knows the outcome; stick around and see how things turn out.
The devil does not want you to struggle. He encourages you to indulge in self-pity, anger, resentment, and hopelessness.
God allows you to struggle to make you stronger in faith, hope, and love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13
The faith that pleases God is born in a place of deadness... the deadness of all human possibilities. It is a place
where man-made plans flourish at first then die. It is a place where
human hopes bring temporary relief but soon crash, adding to a sense of
helplessness.
Have you been at this place of deadness? Has it seemed like you have no options left? The heavens are like brass when you pray?
God
declares to you that HE is at work. His Spirit is working to
get you to stop considering the impossibilities. Stop looking to human
ways and means, trying to think your way out of your situation. The Holy
Spirit is urging you, “Quit hunting for help from some human source.
Quit
focusing on how hopeless you think your situation is. Those are
hindrances to your faith.”
Strive to obtain the fruit of the Spirit. On a deeper level, the Fruit of the Spirit expresses itself as
love, joy, peace, long-suffering
(patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. When our Faith is
low and we experience no inner “blooming,” we feel the lack of something – no joy or peace of mind. ~
Galatians 5:22-23
Jesus has the answers. These things I have spoken to you, that in
Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (and with His help, you can overcome too!) ~ John 16:33
Jesus said:" I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."
~ John 17:15
What does it mean to be in the world, but not of the world?
God left us a prefect example when He created whales. These magnificent creatures
are mammals and should be on the land, yet they spend their entire life
in the ocean. They have no gills to breathe underwater so they must
come to the surface to take a breath of fresh air and get some sunlight.
They are in the sea, but not of the sea.
God's children are in the world, but not of the world. We are in the sea of humanity and must
breathe air to live. Many people choose to take a quick breathe and
dive back down into the darkness of depression and self-pity ignoring the benefits of acquiring the fruit of the spirit.
Those who are wise seek the source of life often just as whales seek air to live. "No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace."
If you would like more inspiring lessons from the Bible,
you're cordially invited to Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group on Facebook
