Many of us are hot and tired today from the hurricane last night. Our power went off around eleven and we are used to sleeping cold, with the ceiling fan on high and a loud noise maker. With none of our modern conveniences it was hard to sleep. We are so spoiled! I laid in the bed thinking about Covid and now a hurricane. What now? What next?
It can feel like there have been a lot of difficult circumstances this year. We live in a broken world, and the Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. All of us live through tough times. What is most important is, who are we trusting when those things happen? Do we rely on ourselves or on God? Or the power company? We have access to the very one Who created the universe.
Isaiah 40: 28-31, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Paul had similar thoughts and he was about ready to give up. 2 Corinthians 1:8, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself." 2 Corinthians 1: 9-10, "Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us..." Paul knew that if God could raise the dead He could surely help Him. He will do the same for us!
Because of Jesus' resurrection, we can believe that no situation is hopeless! If God can raise a dead man, He can restore our power, take care of hurricanes, deal with Covid, repair relationships, find a job, heal the sick, help with our finances and so much more! When we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we have that kind of power for whatever issue we have! 2 Timothy 1: 7, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
When life is hard, we pay attention and we grow. We find out what is real and who we can count on. James 1: 1-4, "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Trials and Temptations. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God is working during all of these tough times and we can thank Him for all that He is doing and how we are growing!
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