Who can know what tomorrow will bring? Who can know what lies in store in 2024?
You wonder, you ponder, you predict what may come—the good, the bad, the in between. You try to prepare, you set your goals, your faith rises, hope soaring high.
But what if?
What if this or that happens? What if your dreaded fears become reality? What if the bad becomes the ugly, the ugly becomes worse, the worst becomes the new normal? What if,what if, what if?
Dwelling on the unknown produces anxiety. Dwelling on the all-knowing One produces peace.
God is with you in the unknown.
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Matthew 1:23 KJV
Immanuel—God with us.
With: accompanied by, in the company of, support, possessing something.
In other words, with describes a state of being.
God is with us. God is. Is—another state of being verb. Together, “God is with us” implies the omnipresence of God.
Yes, He was there from the beginning. Yes, He’s with you now. And, yes, He’s with you already in 2024 in your deepest, scariest unknowns.
He’s there in every place and every trial, lonely moment, sorrow, and difficult decision in every point in time all at once. Before you even arrive at a certain moment in time, He’s already there. He goes before you.
“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV
And we know that nothing catches Him by surprise, though we know not the future. Our understanding is limited, our knowledge finite. It is only through trusting in the One with infinite knowledge and who is always with us that we can step into the unknown with confidence and peace.
God is with us. God is faithful. God is.
As we close out 2023 and prepare for a new year, may we remember that God is with us already in everything we may face. And may we turn our worst “what if” scenarios into our best declarations of faith.
What if I get that job? What if I pass that test? What if God heals me? What if God restores my family? What if I’m delivered? What if God shows up like He never has before?
Follow and put your trust in the One who makes all things new and who turns bad situations around for your good. The same God who delivered, healed, and restored in the biblical age performs those same miracles today.
With describes a state of being, and we know that God never changes.
Our unchanging, holy, miracle-working God is with us right now, tomorrow, next year—always.
This blog post is adapted from the notes of a past Midweek lesson of the same title.
I had a lot of different plans for my life growing up. I wanted to be a vet, a photographer, an investigative journalist, a disaster relief specialist, a lawyer, a writer, an editor, a teacher. No matter what I wanted to be, I always had a plan.
In 2013, I was 17, and I was 3 weeks into college going to school to be an editor. But then I became very sick and was rushed to the hospital where I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. And all my current plans were thrown out the window. A couple years went by, and my life seemed to be getting back on track.
In the summer of 2018, there was a shift that happened that changed my life as I knew it. After some unfortunate events, about which I cannot go into much detail here, my family and I began to feel that God was pressing upon us to make a difficult move.
This was not an easy decision. It was a time of a lot of confusion, many rumors, and division. We were not the only ones who made this decision, and it split families. I lost friendships and connections that I’d spent my life building.
Over the next several months, I experienced the stages of grief in various order again and again. But all through this time, I found myself praying and reading the Word even more every day because I was desperate for help from God to get through this. I knew that He had directed us to this place, and so I knew that He must have a plan.
It wasn’t easy to maintain this trust. There were moments I wondered if I’d made a mistake in leaving. Maybe I was struggling with loneliness and depression because I had stepped outside of God’s Will. Maybe God was punishing me for something.
But we don’t have the capacity to understand the ways of God.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV
When you build your life upon the Rock, you can stand even when you endure situations that you don’t understand.
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24-27 KJV
Those who know Christ and follow Him can withstand life’s storms. It takes a relationship with Him. Elijah had a relationship with God. Job had a relationship with God. This means that they knew God, and God knew them. They trusted God. They talked to God. They trusted His Word. They followed Him.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
John 10:27 KJV
Those who disobey and refuse to follow God stumble and fall.
“Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
1 Peter 2:6-8 KJV
See, the cornerstone in ancient times was the first stone laid in a building. It was the key part of the foundation. Those who reject Him don’t truly know Him. They don’t trust Him. They don’t have a relationship with Him. And He becomes a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense to them because they reject Him, and they stumble at the Word.
If I had given up on trusting God, if I hadn’t prayed and read the Word and tried to get closer to Him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If I had chosen to ignore the leading of God’s Spirit and proceeded with MY plan, I would have missed out on the blessings, and the people, and the opportunities, and the relationships He’s placed in my life.
Do you have a plan for your lives? Do you trust God’s plan even if it’s different from your plan?
Daniel was taken captive into Babylon, taken from his home, but he still kept up his relationship with God even in the middle of an evil, wicked place. He prayed to God as he always did, and they threw him in a lion’s den. He trusted God’s plan. He had a relationship with God.
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”
Psalm 63:1 KJV
What is the depth of your relationship with God? Is it strong enough that you know you can trust God no matter what tomorrow brings? Are you spiritually prepared for your next battle?
Disappointment is going to happen. Hard times are going to come. What will be your response when it happens? If it were to happen right now, would you stand?
Are you building your life on the sand or the chief cornerstone? Are you building it on your emotions, your will, and your way, or are you building it upon a relationship with Jesus Christ and surrendering to His will and His way? The disobedient stumble. The disobedient reject God’s Word, His ways, His plan. The wise believe on Him. The wise build a relationship with Him.
I don’t know what is going on in your lives right now. Maybe everything’s going well, or maybe you’re going through something you don’t understand and that you don’t know how you’ll get through. But as someone who’s been there, I can say that there is a purpose to the season you are in, and every season has an end.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV
I know what it’s like to have plans and then have them be erased in what seems like an instant because my plan wasn’t God’s plan. But you must trust God above all else, and the only way you can do that is if you have a relationship with Him. If you know Him, then you’ll be able to trust that He will guide you through every trial.
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
Psalm 32:8 KJV
Do you know Him? Do you know His Word? Do you hear when He speaks to you?
Don’t waste your years thinking, I’ll get my relationship with God figured out later. He’s calling for you now. Now is the time to develop a strong prayer life and to plant yourself deep in the Word.
You have a choice to build your life on the sand or Stone. Build your life now not upon sinking sand, not upon what YOU want but upon Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone, and you will be able to stand.
You’re wondering when something might come, if it even will, or what that something may turn out to be. And it isn’t easy to be there for a long time. Most of us know at least a little of what that’s like, and the longer you’re in the waiting room, the more it seems that the something you’re waiting for will never happen. You watch the clock, your mind on the deadline, but your miracle and answered prayer doesn’t appear to be any closer to becoming reality.
But our God is the God of the eleventh hour. He is the God of the midnight hour.
I know a little bit about waiting.
I waited and waited and waited for a full-time job for over a year. I desperately applied at countless places. When I finally snagged an interview for my dream job, I believed the deal was sealed, and my miracle was in the bag. After all, it was what I’d been praying for and what I was hoping would happen for months.
I didn’t get the job.
When it seemed like I had no other options and all hope was lost, God granted me a midnight-hour miracle. And it was greater than what I had expected all because if I had gotten the other job, I may have thought that it was partly because of my “qualifications,” my “experience,” my “perfect” interview. God blessed me with a job I desperately needed, and He did so in a way that proved that it was only because of Him, not me.
Sometimes, we need to hang on to hope for a greater, midnight-hour miracle.
Lazarus was sick and dying, and Jesus could have healed him when he was just sick, but Jesus waited. And it was after Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days that Jesus arrived and raised Lazarus up (see John 11). Jesus performed an ever greater miracle.
When your miracle seems dead, He can resurrect the promise. He can bring back hope when it seems lost.
I love the line from the Elevation Worship song “Welcome Resurrection” (linked here) that goes, “He’s still the resurrection even when the tomb is sealed!”
This is why we can’t give up in the waiting room or even in the eleventh hour. And even as midnight passes, we must keep believing for a greater miracle than before. With greater miracles comes greater testimonies, greater praise, and greater faith. We are in need of a revival of greater miracles, but the good news is that our God is the God of greater. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think according to His power that works in us!
While you’re waiting, keep praying, keep living for God, keep fasting, keep giving, keep going to church, and keep giving Him your all.
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”
Before you curse the rain for daring to visit, The raindrop for plopping onto your head, Remember, Every drop that descends from the sky, often to your dread, Is a reminder of every promise of God. Just like every raindrop waters the grass, Bringing forth the springtime bud, So is every promise. A word of God descending, falling, and watering. And in due time, it too will bring forth the new bud of the old promise.
Closer to the Cross
With every stride, I want to be closer to the cross.
Life isn’t perfect, sometimes far from it.
I don’t want to be number one; I don’t want to be boss.
I’m not perfect, but I’m not about to quit.
Life isn’t perfect, sometimes far from it.
My spirit is willing, my flesh is carried off by every whim.
I’m not perfect, but I’m not about to quit.
Less of me, more of Him.
My spirit is willing, my flesh is carried off by every whim.
I’m disciplining myself with fierce focus.
Less of me, more of Him.
Fear and the devil have the world all hocus-pocus.
I’m disciplining myself with fierce focus.
Losing our version of fun, it’s no loss.
Fear and the devil have the world all hocus-pocus.
With every stride, I want to be closer to the cross.
The Best Decision I’ve Ever Made
Falling in love with Jesus, the best decision I’ve ever made.
Sunshine and rainbows, it’s not.
It’s a bright spot in this world through which we must wade
With sacrifice and blood, it was bought.
Sunshine and rainbows, it’s not.
It’s peace in the midst of a violent storm
With sacrifice and blood, it was bought,
Desiring to be close to him and in my proper form.
Its peace in the midst of a violent storm,
Crashing waves, rolling squall lines, still Jesus has not left my boat.
Desiring to be close to him and in my proper form,
Reading and Praying, this time not by rote.
Crashing waves, rolling squall lines, still Jesus has not left my boat.
I’m not doing this for some more achievement; it’s not for a grade.
Reading and Praying, this time not by rote.
Falling in love with Jesus, the best decision I’ve ever made.
*****
Today’s guest post was written by the wonderfully talented Camrie Houck. Be sure to check out her past guest post on BPR here! You can also follow along with her writing on her Instagram blog @camrie_writes!
Things you tell yourself when the going gets tough and your resolve is wearing thin.
Sometimes, life can be just too much, you know? Your finances are tight, there’s not enough time in the day or the week to get things done, and your bones begin to ache from all the stress. Maybe you’re tired from work, family drama, or just life. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about all the negative things in the news. Maybe you’re tired of waiting for things to get better.
Sometimes, you just want to lie down, escape, forget about all the stress, struggles, and negative news. Sometimes, you wonder how you’ll get through this.
When will I get to the end of this situation? When will things finally get better? How does one endure to the end?
Whether it’s life issues you’re struggling with or anxiously awaiting the day when the Lord calls us home so we can finally be free from this sin-sick world, here are three keys that may help you in unlocking your ability to endure to the end.
1. Though you may be tired, maintain your walk with God every day.
When I was without a full-time job for over a year, the waiting was getting pretty tiresome. There’d be days where I’d feel more confident than others, but on the days where I felt the deadline getting closer and the fear of being jobless with no insurance setting in, I often just wanted to take a nap, watch or read something, or do ANYTHING to take my mind off my fears.
What I discovered was the only thing that gave me peace and strength to overcome that situation was when I met with God each day and dove deeper into the Word.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)
Keeping up our prayer time then allows God to fill us with His peace that, in turn, keeps us going.
When you’re waiting for a blessing or just trying to get through a trial, perhaps the most important key to enduring that time is keeping up your relationship with God every day. It seems simple, but often our flesh needs simple reminders to get us back on the right track.
Often, my flesh wanted a quick and easy distraction, but those quick and easy distractions didn’t give me strength. They didn’t increase my faith in God. So, I studied Job. I read through the epistles. I made a point to set my phone aside and out of sight during my prayer time in order to get closer to God. And during that time, I grew. I developed my relationship with God.
Through prayer and reading the Word, we increase in the strength we need to endure.
2. Though you may feel overwhelmed, keep up your church attendance.
As my childhood pastor and lifelong spiritual leader Bishop Eddings has always said, “Church attendance is critical to survival.”
God never intended His church to be made up of scattered saints who never congregate together. It isn’t His Will for us to go to church only when we feel like it and to skip service and stay home when we “just can’t deal.”
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)
As we get closer to Christ’s return, we must be committed to attending church even more.
Sure, we’re human. I’ve certainly woken up on Sunday mornings and wished I could sleep in and not have to dress up and go anywhere that day. For many people, when they have a lot on their plate, attending church is the first thing they bump off their list.
But as the song says, “I need you, you need me. We’re all a part of God’s body.” We need each other to survive. When we fellowship with the saints of God, when we worship together, pray together, and glean from the Word together, we increase in strength.
Instead of skipping church when life has you overwhelmed, get to church early to pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes, going to church and fellowshipping with your church family can be the healthy distraction you need to get through a difficult situation.
3. Though you may want to isolate yourself, confide in a friend or mentor.
Trying to endure financial, personal, or spiritual struggles alone will deplete your strength and wear thin whatever resolve you have left.
We must talk to God and read His Word, yes, but God doesn’t want us to be without His church. We must keep up our church attendance and fellowship with the saints, yes, but even that may not be quite enough to help us endure a trial.
Tell someone you trust what you’re going through and ask them to help pray for you about it.
This doesn’t come easy to introverted people like me who prefer to “suffer in silence,” as they say. The longer I was without a job and the more rejection emails I received, the more desperate and miserable I became. Though I was keeping up my devotional time and attending church, I needed a bit more help.
Finally, I mustered up the courage to reach out to a trusted mentor and spiritual leader whose advise and kind words and prayers encouraged me. Suddenly, I had a new confidence and assurance that everything was going to be all right. I believed again that I was going to make it. I would endure.
Find someone–a friend or mentor–to support you. If you have no one else, you should definetly always go to your pastor for guidance and prayer, and even if you do have someone, don’t forsake the importance of seeking wise counsel from your pastor.
So, if you’re reading this and feeling weary of an internal struggle or external pressures, you will endure if you do not give up.
Pray. Study the Word. Go to church. Talk to someone.
Endurance requires daily commitment to resisting distraction and defeat.
So, then, how committed are you to enduring until the end?
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
We’ve all heard the expression, “I’m at the end of my rope.” And we all get to the end of our rope at some point. How do we get there? Life, usually. Things happen. We get tired, worn out, burnt out. Or maybe we do it to ourselves. We let ourselves slip to the end of our rope. No matter how we get there, the end of our rope is a place where we have nothing left. If we get any lower, there’s no more rope to hold on to.
The end of our rope is not final, however, and I’ll tell you why. Here are 7 things to remember at the end of your rope:
1. Don’t let go.
This is very important to remember. Letting go at the end of your rope is definitely not the answer. As the old saying goes, “When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!”
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Galatians 6:9 (KJV)
Don’t stop coming to church. Don’t stop praying. Don’t stop fasting. Don’t stop giving. Don’t stop seeking the face of God. Tie a knot in the Word of God and hold on! Letting go is not the answer to your problems.
2. Don’t blame God.
Too often, when people are at the end of their rope, whether life got them there or they got themselves there, they start to blame God.
“Why did God let me get here? God must not care about me anymore. God must have more important people to help. He must not have His hand on me anymore.”
All are lies that we can begin to tell ourselves if we aren’t careful and don’t keep our hearts right. Job’s wife told Job to curse God and die when he was at the end of his rope, but he would not curse God. The Bible says that in all this Job did not sin with his lips. The Bible also says it rains on the just and the unjust.
God tells us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).
“Don’t stop seeking the face of God. Tie a knot in the Word of God and hold on!”
Jake Walden
3. Forgive yourself.
We’ve got to learn to forgive ourselves. We will get nowhere if we cannot forgive ourselves. Maybe you condemn yourself because your decisions got you to the end of your rope. Or maybe you cannot forgive yourself because you simply feel that you were not strong enough, and now you’ve ended up at the end of your rope.
Whatever the case, you’ve got to forgive yourself. You’ve got to realize who you are to God. You’ve got to realize that He will not hold your shortcomings against you, and you shouldn’t hold them against yourself.
His mercy endures forever. He loves you. And it is not wrong to love yourself enough to forgive yourself.
4. Let go of the past.
Even if you have forgiven yourself, you’ve still got to let go of the past. What has happened has happened. Sometimes, we have the opportunity to make amends, and that’s good. But you’ve still got to let it go.
Stop dwelling on what got you to the end of your rope. Stop losing sleep over it. Stop worrying about it. The only way to ever escape it is to let it go and move forward. You can’t change what has happened, but you can control what you will do next!
5. Surround yourself with Godly influences.
When you are at the end of your rope, don’t go to the people that are going to fill your mind with a bunch of mess.
Don’t go to someone like Job’s wife who will tell you to blame God. Don’t go to someone who is going to turn you on your brothers and sisters. Don’t go to someone who will gossip about and trash talk other people or gossip about and trash talk your church. Don’t go to someone who will tell you to let go of what you believe in. Don’t go to anyone who will tell you to lash out at people.
Don’t go to someone who will tell you to do ANYTHING that contradicts the Word of God.
Like the Bible says, don’t be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Surround yourself with Godly, positive influences—someone who will pray for you and with you, someone who will encourage you and lift you up. Like the Bible says, seek WISE counsel.
6. Trust God.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)
This is a very important step. Even when you don’t understand why you’re at the end of your rope, trust God. Like the Bible says, lean not unto thine own understanding. It also says right after that, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6, KJV).
God’s ways are higher than our ways. We do not know more than God. Sometimes, things happen, and we end up at the end of our rope, wondering, “Why am I here? This was not my intention.” But God knows right where you are, and He knows exactly what He’s doing. He isn’t punishing you. He won’t let us carry more than we can bear. Things just happen sometimes, and we end up at the end of our rope. But don’t ever stop trusting and believing that God has got you.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:18 (KJV)
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.”
Psalms 121:1-3 (KJV)
Romans 8:28 says ALL things work together for the good of them that love God and are called according to His purpose.
7. Bless the Lord at all times!
Job said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21, KJV). One of the most important things you can always remember is to bless the Lord at ALL times.
David said, “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1, KJV).
When you’re at the end of your rope, don’t stop praising. Don’t stop worshipping. Don’t stop giving God the honor and the glory. There is power in that, and it gives us authority over the voice and influence of the enemy.
Don’t stop saying, “Blessed be the Name of the Lord!”
********
Jake Walden is a licensed minister with the United Pentecostal Church, the youth pastor at Restoration Apostolic Church in Winterville, Georgia, and the Section 3 youth director for the Georgia District Youth Ministries. He is also the host of the podcast What Was I Thinking? with Jake Walden in which he covers Biblical topics with an informal, easygoing demeanor. You can follow along with his ministry on Instagram (@jakewalden39). Be sure to check out his podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and subscribe today!
Tired of bad news? Social turmoil? Dealing with sickness? Struggling just to make it through the day?
This world seems to be getting further from Jesus with each passing day, but Romans 8 gives us many powerful truths about life on earth and beyond earth. Here are three brief reminders from Romans 8:20-39 to give you strength and hope in these trying times.
1. We have hope of an eternal reward.
No matter how messy things get on earth, believers have hope that someday soon, we will no longer be in this world but with our Savior forever in a world where sin, death, and pain no longer exist. Romans 8:20-23 describes the fall of Creation and the hope that we have:
“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
In a nutshell, this passage explains that God subjected mankind and nature to the curse of sin and death because of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden, but He did this in hope. No matter how much creation and we ourselves may groan in pain on this earth, we have hope that God will someday deliver us from the bondage of our corrupt, mortal bodies. When that happens, the adoption as God’s children will be complete and the body redeemed since sin and death will be no more. As verse 25 states, we have hope for that which we cannot physically see and wait for it with patience.
This is one of the greatest promises of God.
2. We also have hope of better things even here on earth.
Just because we hope for Christ’s coming and life with Him in eternal glory, that does not mean that we don’t have hope for good things here on earth even amidst turmoil and destruction. When we go through things and travail in prayer, the Spirit makes intercession for us (see Romans 8:26-27). This means that the Spirit goes beyond our limits and weaknesses in prayer and prays on our behalf when we don’t even know what to say or how to pray for our situation.
No matter how hopeless you may feel, you are not forsaken or without hope!
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (KJV)
All things—our trials and joys—work together for our good according to His plan for our lives. Notice that this verse states that this applies “to them that love God” and “to them who are the called.” When you love God, live for God according to His Word, and answer the calling He has placed on your life, then you can rest assured that God has a plan for every trial you will experience and for every period of your life.
God has given us hope on earth that He will help and guide us through life so that Romans 8:29-30 may be able to apply to us:
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
There’s a lot to unpack from these two verses, but my Apostolic Study Bible breaks it down into 5 concepts: 1) God’s plan includes the fact that He knew from the beginning that man would fall and need a Savior; 2) God planned in advance for the church to be formed in His likeness; 3) salvation extends to everyone, but everyone has the individual responsibility to answer God’s calling in order to be chosen; 4) God redeems us from our sins in justification; and 5) we will receive sinless bodies in eternal glory with Christ.
If we maintain a righteous lifestyle and faithful walk with God, then again we have hope of eternal life with our Savior.
3. It’s never a mistake to depend on Jesus for everything.
The last several verses of Romans 8 reveal that it is not only God who is the only one who can condemn or justify us but that it is also God who makes intercession for us and helps and loves us no matter what. It doesn’t matter what we may face or what may come against us, we are more than conquerors through Christ (see Romans 8:37).
His love extends far beyond the weight of our sins and powers of darkness!
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)
We can depend on Jesus for everything we need, for He is everything we need!
He is our Strength, our Helper, our Forgiver, our Savior, and the Lover of our souls.
Back-to-back tests and papers due. Piles of work that lead to overtime. New company policies that are confusing and make your work harder. It can make your life seem completely miserable at times.
As children of God, however, we have an avenue to living a purposeful and rewarding life even when our school and work responsibilities try to drain the life from us.
Today, we’ll look at three key reminders from Romans 8:1-18 of what it means to be alive in Christ.
1. Through Christ, we are free.
You might feel like a prisoner to the drudgery of life, clocking in and out of work in robotic fashion or dragging yourself to school every week, but we are not meant to feel like prisoners in this world.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!
In fact, Romans 8:1-3 explains that we are free from “the law of sin and death.” When we believe in and live for Jesus Christ, the sins of our past no longer have a hold on us. Without Christ, we are prisoners to sin, and eternal death is an inevitability. With Christ, no matter what mistakes we may have made or difficult circumstances we may have to endure, the consequences of sin and the ways of this world no longer have us bound.
The weight of this world and of the things that accompany life in this world do not have to keep us down or burdened because our God already defeated sin and death and has overcome the world (see John 16:33). “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” has made us free (see Romans 8:2), and so we can walk in the freedom we have through Christ each day no matter how stifling life may seem on earth.
2. We must continue to walk after the Spirit.
When group projects and research papers pile up, when the customers are rude and your boss keeps giving you more responsibilities, and when traffic is backed up after a really long day, we must continue to walk after the Spirit—yes, even when we are tempted with road rage. If you live in or near Springfield, Missouri, then you might understand the frustration that accompanies dealing with mindless drivers who pull out in front of you while you’re doing 60 and they’re doing 35 or who cruise in the fast lane and refuse to move over. Truth be told, many a Holy Ghost-filled Christian has almost lost their Holy Ghost when dealing with rush-hour traffic.
Walking after the Spirit means living a righteous lifestyle every day. Simple, right? Not when we feed our carnality more than the spirit, but when we pursue righteousness and a closer walk with Jesus on a daily basis, it becomes more natural to maintain a spiritual mindset.
Having life through Christ means forsaking our carnality.
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)
If you follow your flesh, it will lead to death. If you follow after the Spirit, then it will lead to eternal life and the peace of God. We cannot expect the peace of God and His blessings if we follow our own lusts and desires. Verse 8 goes on to say that “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Ouch.
Want to please God? Pursue Him. Pursue righteousness. Even when people annoy you and schoolwork overwhelms you and your job is miserable, pursue a lifestyle that reflects His Spirit within you.
3. As His children, we have a divine inheritance!
The more we walk after the Spirit, the more we realize another truth of what it means to have life through Christ.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Romans 8:14 (KJV)
Those who walk after the Spirit are called the children of God. Our salvation is not based on a “once saved, always saved” ideology. Walking after the Spirit means that we continue pursuing Him and practicing a righteous lifestyle every minute of every day. If we do so and are filled with His Spirit, then we have what verse 15 calls the “Spirit of adoption.” Being “adopted” by Christ not only means His Spirit dwells within us but that we have 1) a loving relationship with Him and 2) a divine inheritance.
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:17-18 (KJV)
Being joint-heirs with Christ means that we join in suffering with Him and that we also get to experience the benefits of what we may have to endure on earth—eternal life with Him. No amount of suffering we may experience here can compare to the glory that awaits us in Heaven with our King.
As the old song says, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.”
No matter what you’re facing, whether you’re going to school or working or both, encourage yourself with these truths.
Through our God, we have freedom, and our past mistakes cannot keep us bound. Through Him, we have everything we need to maintain a righteous lifestyle. Through Him, we have the promise of eternal life.
The weight of this world no longer has a hold on us. We are alive through Christ!
Mental Health Awareness Month takes place the entire month of May, and the theme this year is “You are not alone.”
For those who struggle with depression, overcoming it is not as simple as others might think.
There are those who might say, “Everyone gets depressed. Just get over it,” or, “If you really wanted to be happy, then you would be,” but they don’t realize that overcoming depression does not come so easily as simply wishing for it to happen. As someone who has struggled with forms of depression and who has many family members who have as well, I’ve seen and experienced the difficulty in trying to force yourself to “be happy” even though you feel sad, heartbroken, abandoned, and alone. It often results in burying emotions that need to be worked through and addressed only for them to rise again later and leave you more broken and shattered than before. Forced healing is not lasting healing.
Because May is mental health awareness month, I’ve decided to share with you and those who are struggling five things that have helped me in the process of overcoming feelings of depression. Of course, this post may not be entirely applicable to those who are suffering from severe or clinical depression. If you or someone you know is suffering from clinical depression, please know that there is no shame in reaching out for help, receiving support from a psychiatrist, or asking for prayer. Depression is nothing to be ashamed of because, yes, many people do suffer from various forms of depression and feelings of sadness to varying degrees.
“Forced healing is not lasting healing.”
Instead of trying to ignore or bury those feelings, here are five things you might try to help you begin the process of overcoming it:
1. Listen to music.
Now, some of these tips may seem basic, but just hear me out. When I’ve struggled with depression, almost every single time, I’ve managed to find comfort and feel God’s presence through new Gospel songs I found. One song in particular that spoke to me when I was struggling was “Defender” by Francesca Battistelli.
Listening to music, or music therapy, has proven calming effects that can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. When one listens to music, be it instrumental or soothing music, it can help that person experience his or her emotions on a deeper, more visceral level. It may even help clear the mind and make one’s emotions easier to understand.
Just any music doesn’t prove helpful to me, however, which is why I encourage listening to Christian music. As Christians, we understand that our help comes from God, but when we’re struggling with caring for our mental and emotional health, it sometimes becomes necessary to plug into other avenues that help us connect better to His presence. Don’t just listen to the music, but meditate on it. Find new songs that speak to what you’re going through and let yourself praise Him as you listen.
2. Listen to sermons.
We listen to messages over the pulpit every week, but sometimes, it helps to search for an extra word from God throughout the week when we’re feeling overwhelmed with sadness or anxiety. God can minister to us today even through an old message posted to YouTube five or more years ago. One such sermon that I heard when I was struggling and that I’ve returned to often is Victor Jackson’s message at General Conference 2019 called “The Forgotten Anointing.” For those who are weary and full of grief, this message may just be the word from God that will help you begin to heal.
Whether you search for sermons based on what you’re going through or by a preacher you’re familiar with, consider taking notes while listening to the sermon. Write down how God might be speaking to you through the message and ways you can apply it to your life moving forward.
3. Do focused Bible studying.
This one might seem like another no-brainer to those who study the Word consistently, but doing some focused Bible studying is a great way to work through what you’re experiencing by researching it in the Scriptures.
When I found myself in a dark place once, I realized the one thing that might help me get through it was if I could just feel the comfort of God again. So, I began doing a word search for “comfort” in my phone’s Bible app that contains the Strong’s Concordance. As I read verse after verse and studied the original Hebrew meanings of “comfort,” I immediately felt God’s presence. By the next morning, the heavy burden of grief and sorrow that had weighed me down had lifted immensely.
Doing some focused Bible studying on key terms or events in the Bible can help you understand the biblical approach to what you’re experiencing and will take you closer to the presence of God.
4. Get (and stay) involved in church.
It’s natural to want to take a step back from responsibilities at church or even not to want to attend a service or two when you’re struggling with depression, but it’s when you’re struggling that you need that foundation and consistency in your life the most.
Find new ways to get involved in ministry or new ways to use the gifts God has given you for His Kingdom. Go to every service. Continue worshipping God in the worship service and at the altar call. Attend special events or services. Keep in touch with your pastor and church family.
Although it may be difficult and you may feel at times as though you have to put on a smile and pretend you’re okay, the consistency of fellowshipping with the people of God and serving in His Kingdom is one of the most important steps in overcoming depression. The consistency and strong foundation that come with being involved in church bring much needed comfort and peace when you’re going through turbulent times or spiritually dry periods.
5. Do fun things.
Depression can make you feel as though you’re barely surviving and are unable to enjoy even the simplest parts of life, but don’t stop trying to find positive and uplifting things that can make you feel a little less sad for a little while.
Listen to music as we already explored above, or go out to breakfast or lunch with family or friends. Go for a walk at a park. Read a book. (If you need some reading inspiration, stay tuned for next week’s post when I’ll share some book ideas for your summer reading list!) Take a short trip on a day off and go to the lake or hiking or for a simple country drive. Write down your thoughts in a journal.
Whatever you do, do something that takes your mind off your stress and grief and pain if only for a moment and bask in that moment of relief. Every little moment of peace adds up, and eventually, you might find yourself going from feeling sad to being just okay to finally realizing that you are and can be happy in your life in spite of what you’ve gone through.
Overcoming depression is not an easy process and does not look the same for everyone. If you find yourself struggling harder with overcoming depression, try the above tips that have helped me.
Remember that our God is a God of peace. We can find the comfort we need in His presence and in the presence of our church family. Even though you may feel alone, you are not alone. You can overcome depression and be stronger than you were before.
“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Is it simply someone who does good deeds and tries to be kind to others? Is it someone who serves their community? Is it someone who prays an hour every day and fills journals with Bible study notes? Is it someone who goes to Bible college and becomes a preacher or worship leader?
What does it take to simply be that good and faithful servant the Lord will welcome into Heaven?
Well, a person can certainly be a good and faithful servant by doing any or all of the above, but pleasing and serving God does not mean that we have to attend Bible college or that we have to become a preacher or singer. Those things are wonderful things but are specific callings rather than general requirements for all Christians.
When we study the Word, we see many examples of various people who were faithful servants—Abraham, Job, and Mary are a few that come to mind. One man in particular who appears very early in the Bible shows us three qualities of a faithful servant that are a good foundation upon which we can build and develop a strong relationship with God.
“And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD…thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac…And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning the matter.”
Genesis 24:2-4, 9 (KJV)
1. Attentiveness
When Abraham was old, he tasked his eldest and most trusted servant with finding a wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. Here, we have an example of a servant who was not only attentive to his master’s requests and needs, but he was also mindful of Abraham’s requirements to accomplish his task.
After he met Rebekah and her family, he faithfully repeated to them his errand, detailing every aspect of his oath (see Genesis 24:34-41). A testament to the servant’s mindfulness in completing his task, he even refused their request to let Rebekah stay with her family a little longer:
“And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.”
Genesis 24:55-56 (KJV)
In order for us to be good servants, we must not only listen to our Master’s commands, but we must be mindful of how we go about our work for the Kingdom. Abraham’s servant carefully heeded each aspect of his oath to his master. Even though some might deem it unkind to not allow Rebekah to stay with her family a few more days, Abraham’s servant was persistent in fulfilling his task, mindful of the time and his master’s needs. Abraham’s son needed a wife, and it was his job to deliver on his task—pronto!
When we serve in the Kingdom, we must be mindful of how we go about our ministry and of how we answer to God’s commands, which brings us to the second quality Abraham’s servant displays.
2. Obedience
Abraham’s servant was obedient to the letter. He swiftly went about finding his master’s son a wife and made sure she was of the same household as Abraham’s family as his master requested. Now, we know Abraham’s servant had a reputation of faithfully obeying his master because Abraham trusted this man with all of the goods of his house (see Genesis 24:2, 10). Over the course of the chapter, we see that Abraham’s servant was forthright as he set out to the well to find Isaac a wife and was very thorough. Before assuming Rebekah was the one God had chosen for his master’s son, Abraham’s servant watched Rebekah carefully and questioned her about her family:
“And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not…And [he] said, Whose daughter art thou?…And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor…And the man bowed his head, and worshipped the LORD. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Genesis 24:21, 23-24, 26-27 (KJV)
Abraham’s servant waited for confirmation to ensure Rebekah was the one God had appointed for Isaac, and then he praised God and continued with his task. A good servant obeys, yes, but a good servant must pay close attention to every detail to ensure complete obedience.
3. A Relationship with God
Finally, a good servant must commune with God. We see throughout chapter 24 of Genesis that Abraham’s servant regularly spoke to and praised God. In fact, he spoke to God and worshipped Him three times in this chapter, showing his trust in God and a thankful spirit.
First, Abraham’s servant surrendered the situation to God by asking God to show him the woman He had appointed for Isaac (see Genesis 24:12-14). Second, he praised God when he realized God had blessed his journey and led him to the right woman (see Genesis 24:26-27). Third, he worshipped God when Rebekah’s family released her to accompany him back to Abraham and marry Isaac:
“Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken. And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.”
Genesis 24:51-52 (KJV)
Through each aspect of fulfilling his work, Abraham’s servant gave the glory to God and surrendered his task into God’s hands.
In order to become the child of God that He wants us to be, we have to start somewhere. Applying to our own lives the qualities that Abraham’s servant shows us will help us begin a foundation for building a healthy and strong relationship with God. When analyzing your own walk with Him, ask yourself these questions: Am I heeding and obeying God’s commands in my life? Am I faithful in my work in the Kingdom? Am I seeking the Lord faithfully? Have I given Him honor and worship for the things He’s done for me?
If we build a strong relationship with God and follow His guidance and instructions for our lives, then He will ultimately bless us with the greatest reward—hearing the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” as we enter into His Kingdom to be with our King for eternity.
Breathe. Pray. Repeat. 