Category Archives: Keeping the Faith

The Most Important Decision

Ah, l’ amour.

The thing that makes men and women do silly things to impress each other. The thing that makes people giddy, nervous, anxious, and nauseous. The thing that makes the stomach flip-flop, the heart race, and the palms sweaty.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

All those things may seem like love to many young people looking for a new or first relationship. Some may base their love for a crush on a feeling—butterflies in their stomach. Yes, some forms of love are based on emotion, but emotions are fleeting due to the nature of changing hormones and chemical reactions in the brain (dopamine and norepinephrine, for example, which are chemicals the brain releases when we feel attraction). It’s when the emotional high of love wears off that love becomes much more than what we feel. It becomes a conscious decision.

We choose to love a person and stay committed to that person. And in this same way must we approach our relationship with God.

One doesn’t have true love if he or she only loves his or her spouse when things are going well. One doesn’t truly love God if he or she only loves God during Sunday and Wednesday service.

True love is a constant, daily decision.

What is more important than choosing whom we will marry and love for the rest of our earthly life is choosing whom we will serve for all eternity.

God chooses to love us despite our flaws. No matter how much we error, He still welcomes us back into His Presence with open arms. And so, we must choose to love and stay committed to Him. Every morning, we must renew our love for the One Who loves us unconditionally. We must choose Him each day and fall deeper in love with Him.

Love, real love, is not temporary or based on what we feel in any given moment. That’s why spouses who truly love each other can stay married to each other despite having disagreements. They’ve already made up their mind to love their spouse no matter what.

Charity—true love, agape love—endures all things and does not fail (see 1 Corinthians 13).

This is the kind of love that will never fade. If we model our love for others after Jesus’ love for us, then it will endure forever, rooted not in our emotion but rooted in our determination.

This Valentine’s day (whether you’re single, dating, or married), choose to set time aside to celebrate God’s unconditional love for you. Renew your decision and commitment to serve and love Him with all of yourself.

Love Him because He first loved you.

This is the most important decision you will ever make.

How to Survive a Big Problem with a Little Faith

Have you ever been in a situation so long that you wonder if there’s anything left to life?

Sometimes, that wilderness we’re going through feels like a dark, empty cave. No one and nothing around to be seen or heard save for the echo of our weary cries and reminder of our problems bouncing off the piercing stalactites and stalagmites. Sometimes, the storm that rages overhead keeps getting darker, and we begin to doubt things will ever change for the better. The wildernesses and storms of our lives have a way of testing our faith so much that it wears thin. Let’s consider Peter for a moment in Matthew chapter 14:

24 “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightaway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Here we have Jesus walking on the water, and Peter, after hearing Jesus announce that it is Him walking on the water, decides to join Jesus by getting out of the ship, stepping onto the sea, and walking on the water as well. Now, the sea often represented chaos and a hostile force to the Hebrews. So, not only is Peter walking on top of the storm, but he’s walking on top of a hostile force in a dangerous situation. For at least a few steps, Peter overcomes the storm and keeps his eyes on Jesus, but then he walks a few more steps. Then, he begins to look around and notice how big the waves are and how strong the wind is, and panic sets in. And as he’s worrying about the ongoing storm, he begins to sink. He calls out to Jesus to save him, and Jesus immediately takes his hand and says, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

What happened to Peter? He was literally walking on water with Jesus. He was the one who called out to Jesus to walk on the water with Him. He must have had a bit more faith in that moment, but somewhere between the boat and the midst of the storm, Peter’s faith weakened.

Let’s be honest. In that moment, we’re probably all Peter. The longer a storm rages on, and the longer we’re in a difficult situation, the more we begin to panic. We look around at our situation and wonder, “God? I know You can do all things, but can You do all those things a little bit quicker? I’m trying to have faith, but those waves are getting higher, and the wind is picking up, and I’m starting to drown here. Just a little water in my lungs now, but things could go south pretty soon. I’m beginning to think there might not be a way out of this. What if this is my life now? What if this situation sweeps me away? What if things don’t get better?”

But just a little bit of faith is what helped save Peter from his situation.

He may have lost his faith that he could continue to walk atop the waves of the stormy sea, but when Jesus saved Peter, He stated that Peter had “little faith.” Yet it was just a little bit of faith that told Peter Jesus could still save him. Peter didn’t need big faith to know that in the middle of his situation, Jesus would come to his rescue.

When we’re in the middle of a difficult situation and staring down a big problem, it’s natural to panic. We’re only human, after all. We don’t have the ability on our own to look beyond the storm in the natural and see our salvation in the supernatural. We might let our faith dwindle when we’re stuck in the wilderness. But we mustn’t let our lack of big faith keep us from calling on our God. Peter didn’t wait around to call on Jesus, and when he did, Jesus immediately saved Peter who only had a little faith.

So, if you’re in the middle of a storm or a barren wilderness, you will survive if you hold on to your little bit of faith and call out to Jesus.

You know, today’s post was going to be different. I had a different theme in mind, especially since I wrote a post on faith several days ago. But this morning, I woke up with Peter’s story in my mind, and I couldn’t let it go.

Perhaps you’re going through your own storm and facing a big problem. Perhaps your faith has dwindled. Perhaps you’re discouraged. But even with your little bit of faith, God can and will still save you.

The Master of the sea is right there, waiting with His hand outstretched.

How to Live a Balanced Life

There’s something about birthdays that spins the wheels of reflection in my mind. As I turned 25 this week, I began to reflect on what I’m most grateful for during this first quarter of my life, and I settled on one of the most important aspects of a Christian’s life that I realized has helped make my life balanced—having (and listening to) consistent leadership.

Having balance is the only way we can survive in this world and still live for God. Life gets hectic, and we get distracted, and then we find ourselves guilty because we’ve been spending more time on distractions and less time on God. He is the one for Whom we exist, after all. Consistent leadership is an essential element that we must not only seek out but also appreciate to create a healthy balance and make God and righteousness the center of our world.

We find consistent leaders in our pastor, ministers, mentors, and our parents who lead us according to God’s Word so that we might grow up as a well-watered child of God. As we grow from childhood into adulthood, we need pastors and leaders who will not only preach the Word as it is but live the Word. What’s even more essential, however, is not only listening to consistent leaders but applying their teachings from the Word to our lives.

My pastor during my childhood and into my upper teenage years taught many lessons rooted in truth, and because I could see from his lifestyle that he loved truth, I valued his lessons all the more. There is one such lesson that I will never forget—

the dogfight taking place inside ourselves.

He explained that there are two dogs waging war inside each of us—the carnal dog and the spiritual dog. But which dog will win in the fight?

The one you feed the most.

As I went from high school to college and into the adult world, I learned how much more balanced my life and each day were when I fed the spiritual dog inside of me through prayer, spending time in the Word, and fasting. It became obvious that this was a daily battle against the flesh, and I knew that consistency was key because I’d seen my childhood pastor and many other leaders apply this lesson to their own lives by living consistently for Jesus.

We’re all human and obviously make mistakes, but if we lean on God for strength, we can win this daily dogfight within ourselves and strengthen our walk with God.

We find balance by consistently serving Jesus no matter what.

It’s what my spiritual leaders have taught me and what my parents have shown me.

Maybe today isn’t your birthday, but it’s as good a day as any to take stock of your own life and reflect on what your leaders, parents, or mentors have shown you. It’s a good day to show your appreciation to them for their leadership and faithful service to God. It’s a good day to start feeding the spiritual dog within you more than ever before. And it’s a good day to endeavor to live a balanced life for Jesus no matter what may come your way.

Walking by Faith

We live in a society today in which knowledge is not only power but in which society’s chosen thought police view knowledge as a danger—a danger to their preconceived plans to control the thoughts and minds of others and influence new generations to believe only a carefully manufactured manifesto of ideas that aligns with a strict code of “acceptable” beliefs.

Knowledge is powerful, of course, but what these self-appointed arbiters of “acceptable” ideas don’t know is how little each of us truly knows and what this means. Yes, these people believe they can control others’ thoughts by limiting their access to “dangerous” ideas, such as the Gospel Truth, and these people believe they can stamp out a move of God to reach the lost by labeling the Gospel as “false” and by discouraging believers. What we followers of Jesus Christ must remember, no matter how much opposition we may face, is that we truly know extraordinarily little, but there are no limits to God’s Power and understanding. Thus, even if society’s arbiters of “acceptable” ideas attack our liberties to spread the Gospel, they still have no power to prevent the world from knowing the Truth of our God.

I’m a visual person, so here’s a visual demonstration to illustrate my point.

Take a look at the image above this post. All that we know and understand—our thoughts, beliefs, opinions, etcetera—we can condense down to a tiny black dot on a sheet of white paper. That tiny dot contains every song we’ve ever heard, every Bible verse we’ve ever memorized, every sermon we remember preached, every person whose name we know, every childhood and adulthood memory we have—everything. We can limit all that we know to a tiny, enclosed space, and what surrounds it—the white space—is an infinite chasm of unlimited knowledge to which only God has access.

So, although we may scratch our heads and wring our hands and worry ourselves sick over how we’ll be able to overcome opposition, personal struggles, financial dilemmas, and spiritual battles and still receive the blessings of God in our lives, God has already prepared the victory for us. We simply cannot see it, for we see through a glass darkly (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).

Our victory may be approaching just outside the rim of our tiny, enclosed circle of knowledge, but we often allow ourselves to perceive our own knowledge as much greater than it is and convince ourselves that victory isn’t coming simply because we just don’t understand how victory is possible when the odds against us seem too great.

If we can grasp how little we know and understand in comparison to our Creator, then we will increase our ability to walk in faith.

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” ~2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)

No matter the obstacle that comes our way, no matter what the opposition thinks it has the power to do, no matter what we cannot see with our own eyes, God is operating in that infinite chasm of knowledge and power and is working miracles on behalf of those who are faithful to Him. No person of finite power and being of limited understanding can stop the move of God and the spread of Truth.

God makes a way when there is no way.

He is the God of the impossible.

3 Ways to Create Healthy Relationships and Reduce Stress This Semester

A light rain falls in front of Siceluff Hall at Missouri State University in August 2018.

The new semester is underway for many college students, and many who are new to college or who tend to leave assignments and studying to the last minute may be feeling stressed already about the busy weeks to come. As a recent college grad who spent five years taking both online and seated classes, I acquired many tips and tricks to help me get through each semester as smoothly as possible. One of the biggest components to reducing stress and finding success in college concerns your working relationships with classmates and professors. Here are just a few tips to get you started on the right track this semester and connect better with others.

1. Get to know your professors.

Having a good working relationship with your professor is essential to controlling your level of stress and having a firm grasp on your workload. Meet with your professors early this semester to talk about their expectations for the class, to ask questions about the course material and upcoming assignments, and to simply chat and let them know with what assignment-related issues you tend to struggle.

Over my five years in college, I met with my professors regularly and quickly learned that meeting with them early helped me make a positive impression on them. Meeting with them to ask questions and inform them of my major and intellectual interests helped open a dialogue that would continue throughout the semester. Because I initiated and continued an open dialogue with my professors, they knew I was serious about doing well in class and was open to suggestions and advice from them in order to meet (and sometimes exceed) their expectations. Meeting with your professors will also help you gain an understanding of how well they think you’re doing in the class and in which areas you may need to improve.

2. Be open to other listening to other viewpoints, but don’t be afraid to explain your own.

You’ll hear a lot of different ideas and points of view in college—something for which I was not quite prepared when I entered college in 2015. I knew what I believed (an essential component to maintaining your Christian lifestyle while in college), but I didn’t realize how open others would be with viewpoints that directly opposed and challenged my own beliefs. There were many (many) times during class discussions that my classmates would discuss (and argue) about atheism, their perceptions of Christianity, capitalism, and other issues regarding history, race, and identity.

Now, I’m quite the polite introvert during public discussion and rarely engage in debate, but there were a few times when I (being the only Apostolic conservative in the room) took it upon myself to explain (and sometimes defend) a religious ideal or conservative principle that another student had difficulty understanding. Instead of berating the student or becoming engulfed in my emotions about the topic, I carefully worded my response and maintained a calm composure, often asking a follow-up question to the confused or frustrated student. What I learned was that a friendly and thoughtful response and dialogue with students of other backgrounds and belief systems often calmed tension in the room and helped the class further our discussion without arguments breaking out.

3. Pray before class each day.

This one seems like a no-brainer, but praying before class each day, whether it’s in your car or walking onto the campus, is essential for maintaining focus on God and giving Him control over your day. When I started college, I attended a smaller community college in my hometown and had classes as early as seven in the morning. There were many moments when I’d arrive on campus at half past six, and as I watched the sun rise, I’d pray over the day. They were often simple prayers, but I noticed that when I failed to do so (due to getting around and arriving late), my days were out of focus. Stress about upcoming assignments and my busy to-do list cluttered my mind and soured my mood as I shuffled from class to class. Praying over your day, your coursework, and your classmates ensures that you start your day with Jesus and surrender control over your work and relationships with others to Him.

If you apply the above tips to your lifestyle while in college, you will not only form meaningful connections with others, but you will also develop stress-reducing habits that will help you move forward with confidence during college and into the adult world.

Happy spring semester to all the students out there! If you know someone already struggling with school-related stress, share this post with them to give them encouragement and motivation.

The Things That Matter

People say a lot of things. Things that hurt. Things that are true. Things that hurt because they’re true. But people also say a lot of things to minimize you, denigrate you, vilify you.

Kids can be cruel, and adults can be mean, and the things they say to put us down shouldn’t matter to us. But sometimes, we let those things that don’t matter at all matter a little too much until they eat away at our confidence, our strength, our joy, our ability to get out of bed every morning and live a purposeful life for our Creator.

It’s hard to forget the things they say. And sometimes, it’s hard to remember the things that matter.

These are the things they say:

You’re not smart enough for that job. Don’t bother applying to work at that place. Aren’t you too young to preach a sermon? You don’t dress very well. Your clothes are ugly. You’re not very pretty. There’s no way you’re that old. You’re way too short. You’re so tall, you look like a clumsy tree. You don’t have enough money. You didn’t go to a very good school. God will never use you. You’re not a very good person, and you’ve done terrible things. You can’t sing. You’re not a very good musician. You’re too skinny. You’re too fat. You’re too loud. It’s really annoying. You’re too quiet. It’s a little snobbish. You’ll never really amount to anything. Your family problems don’t matter. Your dreams don’t matter. Your thoughts don’t matter. You don’t matter.

These are the things God says:

But you matter to Me. I care about your thoughts. Lay your burdens down at My feet. There’s rest for you in My Presence. I can give you all you need. I saw you on the Cross when I died just for you. I knew all you’d have to go through, and I made you for this exact moment in time. You’re not too quiet or too loud for Me. I hear every prayer you whisper at night. I see you struggle and fight and fall and cry. I’ll be the Strength you need to stand taller than your mountain, the Arms to carry you when you’re too weak to climb. You don’t need the world’s fame or fortune to impress Me. Your song is beautiful. You can do all things when you give it all to Me.

I gave everything so that you could have everything in Me. Joy for every morning. Strength through every struggle. Comfort in every night. Eternal life. I love to hear your voice calling My Name. I long for you to be in Heaven with Me so you can see Me face-to-face, so you can see the face of the One Who came and died for you, Who gave you life. I’ve covered all your mistakes with My blood. You see, you’re more than a servant to Me. You’re my child. And you were worth it all. Every nail, every thorn, all the jeers, all the hate, all the scorn. And if you could only see how much I love you, then you’d know all the things in life that don’t matter and all the things that do.

These are the things that matter:

Your life. Your dreams. Your work for Jesus. Your walk with Him. The salvation of your friends. That time you sang that worship song, all loud and strong, and you thought no one was listening, but God heard every word, and it gave Him joy. That time you cried all night, got up the next morning, and went to work, and got to church later, and even though no one knew what you were going through, you praised God unashamedly. The smiles on your family’s faces when you’re together after time away. The time you spend reading the Word, seeking some direction, seeking Him more. When you tell God, over and over again, that you don’t understand, that you don’t know why bad things are happening, that you’re tired, that you’re sad, but you keep serving Him and giving Him praise because you remember. You remember that no matter what happens, you understand all the things that matter after all.

That the things they say and the negative things you think about yourself

are all the things that don’t matter.

And that Jesus, your family, your church, and you

are all the things that do.

A Light in Darkness | Stories of Grief and Loss

Grief is something with which many of us are all too familiar. Although we may try to distract ourselves and pick up the pieces after a great loss, that grief we’ve tried to bury still lingers, waiting for some small moment or phrase to rush those painful memories back to the surface of our thoughts. How can we deal with our grief when it seems impossible to keep on living without all we have lost?

Today, you may find the answer to this question in this guest post below from the Pentecostal Publishing House blog. A version of this article was posted here. 

~~~~~

If you have experienced a loss of a loved one or a dear friend, allow A Light in Darkness: Stories of Grief and Loss to offer comfort. Reverend Scott Graham writes an introduction, saying “No one wants to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It is rocky. The footing is uneven. It is steep at times, and falls are not uncommon.” The valley of the shadow of death is an ugly passage that all must pass through when grieving loss.

Stories of Grief and Loss

Maybe you’ve lost a spouse, parent, child, or a dear friend, and you realize you lack strength to make it through the dark valley alone. It feels lonely and scary. What if someone who made the journey before you could help—someone who could share insights from their experiences, the lessons they’ve learned, and things that helped them cope? That’s what A Light in Darkness is all about.

You will hear from writers who have lost parents, a spouse, a friend, siblings, a child, and more. The same questions you may be wrestling and grappling with right now, these writers also wrestled with. Know this: it’s okay to question, closure comes gradually, and God hasn’t turned His back on you.

You will want to meet these writers and read their letters. They are addressed to you, dear friend.

If you know someone walking in the valley of the shadow of death, consider giving A Light in Darkness as a gift this Christmas. These stories of grief and loss will offer comfort and hope.

Resources and Links

A Light in Darkness

When The Unexpected Comes

Life is made up of many unexpected moments—some good, some bad. Somehow, it’s often the bad ones that have a lasting impact on our lives, that mold who we become and shape how we think.

In September of 2013, my diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes was unexpected. It shocked my family and I since no one in my immediate family has it. I was numb at first. Not upset or sad. I didn’t cry or get frustrated. I went along with the doctor’s orders and cautiously trudged through each day afterwards.

What does one do when the unexpected comes?

A wave of emotion didn’t hit me until two months later when I sat by my bed, worrying about what my life would be like now. Diabetes is a lifelong disease with no cure. I thought of all the complications one could have from Type 1 diabetes, of all the frustrations that might come with traveling with this disease. And I so desperately wanted to travel. And suddenly I was sad, frustrated, overwhelmed. I was afraid of returning to college. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to have the future I wanted. Then, at one youth prayer meeting the following spring, God spoke a word through one of our young ladies that I have never forgotten.

“Keep the momentum going. I am everything you will ever need.”

Maybe God spoke to others that night, but I knew He had also meant that for me. In that moment, I knew I would be alright so long as I kept moving forward in my relationship with Him. He even gave me the answer to how I would get through this trial in my life. God would be everything I would ever need.

My comfort. My peace. My strength.

Whatever I needed, He would be that for me.

The only thing that has ever gotten me through each unexpected moment in my life has been my relationship with God. No, it’s not perfect, but it’s my personal walk with Him. It’s comprised of my experiences talking to Him, those moments I’ve cried and gotten upset, those moments He’s comforted me, those moments He’s given me the strength to carry on, those moments He’s given me revelation after revelation of what it means to be His child and servant and what it means to receive His unconditional love and mercy.

It’s when the unexpected comes that you realize you won’t be able to make it on your parents’ relationship with God or your pastor’s relationship with God. It’s when you realize that you have to make sure your own personal relationship with God is solid if you are going to get through whatever situation you’re in and come out of it stronger.

I’m sure, dear reader, that there have been unexpected moments in your life, and there may be many more—some good, some bad. But it is our responsibility to get closer to God now—not tomorrow or next year—but now to make sure that we’re always prepared for the unexpected. If our daily walk with God is strong and consistent, then we are already prepared for whatever good or bad situation may come our way.

As long as our focus is on Him, and as long as we keep the momentum going, then in the presence of our Creator, we will find everything we’ll ever need to make it through when the unexpected comes.

For Better or Worse: Remaining Faithful to God in the Face of Adversity

This is a simple post, but sometimes, we need simple reminders of the greatness of our God to overcome our complex emotions.

The other night in prayer, I was thinking about and praying for our nation in the face of whatever may come in the next few weeks. Emotions have been high for many Americans as the presidential inauguration is scheduled for next week. We well know that God raises up kings (and other leaders) and takes them down. We can rest assured that His Will is what’s best for us, even when we may not like the immediate outcome in the natural.

So, what is our path forward in the face of adversity?

When I was sitting and praying about these things, I believe God led me to Daniel chapter 6 and reminded me of the single most important priority for any child of God no matter what may come our way—our relationship with Him.

(10) “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

(11) Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

(12) Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

(13) Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.”

~Daniel 6:10-13 (KJV)

In this chapter, corrupt leaders conspired against Daniel, who oversaw the financial affairs of the kingdom, to get him out of the way because he was an upright man. They manipulated King Darius to sign a decree saying that no one could present a petition to anyone, including God, except for the king for 30 days, knowing full well Daniel’s faithfulness to God. Now, Daniel knew that the king signed this decree, but instead of cowering, panicking, and following along with the corrupt leaders, he maintained his relationship with God. He remained faithful and prayed to God three times a day “as he did aforetime.”

In the face of evil, of darkness, of danger, and a threat to his life, Daniel remained faithful to God.

In the face of adversity, he continued to put God first.

His faithfulness got himself thrown into the lions’ den. Now, any one of us, if we went through that situation, may be thinking at that point, “God, whatchu doin’? Where you at? This ain’t looking good.” But Daniel didn’t doubt God, and as we see, God delivered him from the mouth of the lions.

(19) “Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

(20) And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

(21) Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

(22) My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

(23) Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.”

~Daniel 6:19-23 (KJV)

No matter what kind of adversity comes our way, if we’re faithful to God, He will deliver us.

What we learn from Daniel’s experience in this chapter is that things always seem to be falling apart in the natural. Remember the three Hebrew boys from Daniel chapter three? Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego refused to worship to the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and the king had them thrown into the fiery furnace. In the natural, things seemingly became much, much worse.

I certainly would rather not be thrown into a fiery furnace. I don’t think I’d be all that calm or chill with it, but maybe that’s just me.

In the natural, when we consider what we see with our flesh, we can often allow ourselves to become focused only on the storm and only on the bad, but we fail to see with the spirit. We fail to see that no matter how bad things may look in the natural, God is preparing a great work in the supernatural.

This great work then serves as a great witness to others of the greatness and glory of God. God delivering the three Hebrews from the fiery furnace impressed Nebuchadnezzar, and he blessed God, declared that no one could speak against God, and he promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (see Daniel 3:28-30). God delivering Daniel from the lions’ mouths impressed Darius, and he made a decree that gloried God as “the living God” whose “dominion shall be even unto the end” (see Daniel 6:26). Not only is our faithfulness to God a witness to others, but how God comes through for us is a testament to others.

God shows His Glory to the world when adversity comes.

Things always seem to get worse in the natural before they get better. Before God moves, before deliverance comes, and before God reveals His Glory, things seem to be falling apart.

But God is moving.

“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)

God was right there with the Hebrew boys when they were thrown into the fire. He was right there with Daniel when he was thrown into the lions’ den.

God is always with us. We just have to keep the faith, pray, and keep up our relationship with God.

No matter what may happen in the natural world, God is getting ready to do a mighty work for His people and for His Glory the likes of which the world has never seen.

Fight or Flight? What to Do When Life Gets Overwhelming

I’ve been tired a lot more than usual this week, and the effects of the events at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday have been lingering in my mind. I spent the majority of the day yesterday trying to understand everything going on in our country and world. I read and pondered the updates from insiders on social media, and I prayed.

I trusted that God had everything in control (and I still do), and yet I was still very tired. My brain felt like it would nearly explode from deciphering coded messages and conflicting information from all sides.

What does x mean?

What really happened?

If x scenario doesn’t happen, what then does that mean?

Why did so-and-so say or do what they did?

I later realized my weariness was not due to fear or worry over what might happen but over realizing the significance of where we are and what will happen next.

We are in a spiritual war, and the people of God are fighting a battle against not only powers of darkness but against our own flesh and weaknesses. We are only human, of course, and we need rest. But how do we deal with things when our fight vs. flight mode kicks in? If we’re too weary to fight, what then? Run away from our problems? (A terrible solution, really.) Instead of running away from the issue and from stress, I propose a different kind of “flight”:

Running to Jesus and not away from our struggles.

It’s moments like these when our weariness reminds us that we are flawed and incapable beings who desperately need our Creator. We don’t have the strength on our own to keep going. We aren’t capable on our own to fight this spiritual war and still stand for Truth, but that’s okay because we have Jesus.

When our hearts are overwhelmed, He leads us to the rock that is higher (see Psalm 61:2). That rock is our God (see Psalm 62:2, 6).

David endured many circumstances that seemed overwhelming. His son, Absalom, instigated a rebellion against him, and David had to flee (see 2 Samuel 15). David’s decision to activate his own “flight mode” wasn’t an act of giving up. Instead, he continued to rely on God and run to Him for shelter and strength.

(3) “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me: my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

(4) I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

(5) I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.”

David cried to God and rested, and God sustained him. This word “sustained” means, according to the dictionary, “to strengthen or support physically or mentally.” The Hebrew word that we translate into “sustained” also means “to establish” or “uphold.”

When adversity comes, God strengthens our body and our mind, but we must go to Him in prayer, and we must allow ourselves to rest. The rest we have in Him restores our soul, strengthens our body, and refreshes our spirit.

(28) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

(29) 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.

(30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)