Have you ever had seasons when you ask, “God, where are you?”
You know with your mind God is faithful, but your faith is falling flat. How do you keep your heart believing God when it feels like He’s taking forever to fulfill His promises? How can you live joyfully through trials when you’re just hoping to make it through the day in one piece?
My husband and I have been through challenge the last 12 months: a family death, two health scares, medical bills rolling in like the tide, an international move, and just to keep life interesting, political violence where we live!
I’m learning that we can find joy in the most unlikely places, and that God renews our hearts when we find something to thank Him for.
If you’re struggling right now, remember you’re not alone.
When we look through the pages of our Bibles, we see a host of people well acquainted with challenge. Jacob worked 20 years for a swindler. Moses spent 40 years leading 2,000,000 grumblers through the dessert. Daniel was exiled, and Paul was jailed. How did our faith fathers made it through?
One day at a time.
The same God who got them through will get us through too.
Maybe you’re facing an impossible situation: depression that doesn’t lift, a marriage that makes your heart ache, a job you can’t stand, or no job at all. Remember God is with you. He’s beside you, behind you, and He’s waiting for you on the other side of the mountain facing you.
Let’s look at how Abraham reacted when He faced unbelievable circumstances:
Scripture says he did not waver. God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, yet at age 100, he and his 90 year old wife still had no children. If it had been me, I’d have been wavering like a flag waves on a pole. Yet instead of flapping in the wind, Abraham showed two reactions:
1. He was strengthened in His faith.
Abraham chose to believe God despite overwhelming odds. Although he struggled with doubt, like we do, in the end He chose belief, and His faith grew. What do you need to believe about God today?
We’re strengthened in faith when we choose to believe.
2. He gave glory to God.
He faced the fact that he and his wife were too old to have a child, but he gave glory to God because he believed. We give glory to God when we trust Him in challenging circumstances.
We give glory to God when we thank and praise Him even when we can’t yet see His power working in our lives the way we’d like.
How about practicing faith and joy today?
Friend, if you’re facing challenges —or even if you’re not– how about trying an experiment? For 24 hours, determine to trust God and thank him for His faithfulness.
Can you think of a promise from God that you need to hold onto today? Here’s mine:
How about it? Let’s crank up our worship music, put on our praise, and practice our faith for one day. We can trust God and practice joy for one day. Let’s thank Him for His presence and the blessings He’s already given us. Just today. You with me?
Now it’s your turn: Do you have a favorite promise from scripture that speaks to you today?
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Great reminder to trust God and take it one day at a time. It does make such a difference to focus on his faithfulness and to remember where we have seen that in the past or where we see that in the Bible. I love the promises in Isaiah 41:10- that is one of my favourite verses too.
Yes, I’m finding more joy when I focus on one day at a time. And yes, it helps to remember his faithfulness to us in the past!
Betsy: You really ministered to me through the example of Abraham. Those truths remain in the midst of whatever circumstance we are in.
Yes, his truth remains, Amorcito. 🙂
Betsy,
I love this…”God renews our hearts when we find something to thank Him for.” Gratitude in times of trial can be a lifeline. Thank you for the encouragement to cling to His promises in the storms. I love Isaiah 41:10 as well. I keep an “emergency kit” of scriptures that have gotten me through some pretty tough times. May you experience some peace after all these storms…
Blessings,
Bev
Oh Bev, I love that idea of an emergency kit! Can I quote you on that sometime? That’ll preach! And yes, I keep thinking peace must be around the corner. Actually, the beautiful thing about God’s peace is He gives it to us any time at all!
Intrigued by that word: “waver.”
It brings to mind the idea that Abraham was straight as an arrow in His intent to follow God, and we know that he made a few wrong turns along the way, and yet, the record shows that God counted him as righteous. There is so much encouragement for my heart just in this truth! Thanks, Betsy, for excavating truth from the Word here in your space!
Yes, that word “waver” intrigued me too. Of course Abraham did make those wrong turns, but I also love that truth in Romans 4, that it was credited to him as righteousness. That gives hope to you and me, doesn’t it, Michele?
Betsy sometimes it truly is one day at a time, and sometimes in the midst of pain a moment at a time, but He is faithful.
Love this – We give glory to God when we thank and praise Him even when we can’t yet see His power working in our lives the way we’d like.”
Yes, Debbie, I know you’ve been through some hard times as well. Blessings to you as you see to give Him glory!
Here’s mine…”And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
Oh I love that, Kristine! Isn’t it a beautiful promise? I also like 1 Peter 1 something: “In all this you greatly rejoice, even though for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials. These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, may be proved genuine, and may result in glory, honor, and praise…” I’m praying for you now, that He’ll restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you!
You’re such an encouragement, Betsy. I love how you took each situation and focused on Abraham and others from the Bible. It’s easy to begin the “look at all this” swirl, but when we turn that focus to the word of God and His faithfulness, things look different. You’re taking us there. Continuing to hold you and your family in prayer. xo
Thanks so much, Kristi. Yes, things look different when we put our God glasses on. Reading scripture is the best way I know to do that!
God’s people are faithful and loving. I know I also am like a flag blowing wildly in the wind. I let the world’s voice speak louder than God’s and start to believe words that are not truth.
2 Corinthians 12:9 speaks truth into me.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast al the ore gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Thank you Betsy for your words of truth today.
Yes, I LOVE that scripture. I was just quoting it in a post I’m writing for next week! May the Lord give you abundant grace, Mary.
I read this first thing in my inbox this morning! I love this: “Jacob worked 20 years for a swindler. Moses spent 40 years leading 2,000,000 grumblers through the dessert.” Boy, ain’t that the truth?!
And Abraham. What faith to nearly kill his own (only) son, let alone believe God would still fulfill His promise to make him a father of many nations. It did not make sense.
But God asks our faith.
Wonderful words (and pictures) here today, Betsy! Happy to see you!
Yeah, I didn’t even REMEMBER about the sacrificing Isaac part! Wow. Thanks for reminding me. 🙂 Blessings on your week, friend.
Thank you , Betsy! The verse I love is Romans 15:13 and we know our Hope is in the Lord Jesus. Remembering and taking it in one day at a time is the secret 🙂
Oh yes, Irene! I was reading that just this morning. It’s probably my all-time favorite verse. And I’m including it in a post for next week!
Practicing joy one day at a time – love this, Betsy. We can get so bogged down by the details of life that we forget to be intentional with the small things like joy and thankfulness. Grateful for you and the amazing testimony of God’s faithfulness in your life. xo
I’m grateful for you too, Tiffany. I hope your week will be filled with joy in small and big things.
Betsy, what an uplifting post! 🙂 I’ve found that practicing gratitude refreshes my perspective. Meditating on God’s word, on His promises, strengthens me in my walk with Him.
God keeps reminding me that He is with me today. He has already taken care of tomorrow, and I need to not worry about tomorrow. I need to focus on Him in this day. Heb 13:5b promises that He will never leave or forsake us (me). I cling to this promise regularly. 🙂
That is a great promise, Jeanne. Thank you for sharing it. Gratitude really helps me too. It transformed an emergency run and hospital stay for my husband last year. We couldn’t get over how nice all the personnel at the hospital were. Gratefulness for that turned the whole thing around for us.
Jeremiah 29:11 Is the verse my mother quoted to me when I awakened from the stroke in the hospital Betsy. I remember God’s promise in those moments of feeling helpless. He wants to give me a future and hope! When we keep our eyes on Jesus our hope should overflow. Saying a prayer tonight for you and your family. Blessings
Thanks so much, Horace. You’re always a breath of fresh air! I like that verse too. May the Lord bless you and your ministry.
It sounds like life has been a series of crazy for you lately and the same is true for my family. How good God is to give us peace in the storm but we do need to do our part don’t we? I am pressing in more, speaking His Word over my life, and worshiping all my heart. Our hope is in Him!
Thanks for sharing this life giving message today.
Patti
Thanks Patti, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope! (Rom. 15:13)
Betsy, these fires are never, ever fun! But thank goodness for these examples in scripture. One of my favorite verses: “…and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” Joshua 23;14
What a beautiful word that is, Lisa. Thank you!
One day at a time. I get overwhelmed thinking about the future, but that is so unnecessary! God is trustworthy.
Yes, He is trustworthy, indeed! Heard a great message on that in church last Sunday!
So much encouragement here, Betsy. What a year you’ve had … thank you for this from-the-trenches reminder to trust God one day at a time. A passage that is really speaking to me right now is Psalm 62:5-7: “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge is in God.”
THANKS for that scripture, Lois. That is a keeper. He is our rock!
Betsy,
You’ve been in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry about a death in your family. I wrote Isaiah 41: 10-13 on an index card recently. I also wrote Phil. 4-8 in my journal. I pray God continues to bless you and your family with faith and joy and reassurance of his presence with you all. ((HUgs))
Thanks so much, Dolly! I love Philippians 4-8 too. <3
Faith and joy are a welcome and needed addition to every day! I love the idea of focusing for 24 hours–a very doable time frame for those of us who are easily distracted. You and your family have been through a lot. We’ve been through an international move, but had the benefit of living safely on a military base. It took a good six months to get adjusted and find my joy again.
Yes, we’ve been through it twice in 9 months! I know your family has moved so often because your husband’s in the military, right? I’m remembering now your lovely post on (in)courage last year. 🙂