An incredible friend shared devo below and it blessed me to the core. I am posting this for YOU. My prayer is that it fuels your hope, that this encourages you today, and that it gives you new perspective for whatever trials and tribulations you have faced, are facing, or will face.
If you haven't experienced the valley yet, you will. Prepare yourself now - don't wait until you're faced with the circumstance to determine your response to it. Joyce Meyer says, “Your problem is not as nearly as important as how you act when you are going through it." Study the Word, letting the Truth resonate in your daily thoughts, conversations, & actions. Ask for Godly wisdom and discernment that only He can provide, as He gives freely and abundantly to all who ask. Then, and only then, will you be prepared to fight against the enemy when he attacks.
Armor up NOW for these battles and count it all joy when you experience them. This doesn't require you to not feel anger, hurt, alone, abandoned, and full of questions with few answers. It does mean that you continue to worship the Lord through and inspite of this pain, the questions, etc. The Lord will heal you and He will bless your socks off. He will rock your world! I don't share this because of something I've read or heard, I share this because I've experienced it. I continue to experience it even now!
He is not surprised by anything that we face and He works ALL things together for our good and for His glory. ALL things, not some things. I'll leave you with this... "You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." -Joshua 23:14
May the Lord bless you and keep you...
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My Utmost for His Highest (Devo)
The Explanation For Our Difficulties
"...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us..." - John 17:21
If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17 . It will explain exactly why you are where you are— because Jesus has prayed that you “may be one” with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.
God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22 ). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?
God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives, “Your will be done” ( Matthew 26:42 ), then we will be encouraged and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”
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