We all have times in life when it seems like we've hit a dead end or things aren't turning out the way we hoped or expected. However, I've learned from experience that when we feel stuck, discouraged, or disappointed, that's not the time to throw in the towel and give up! I realize this isn't easy. There have been times in my life when I've felt discouraged and even wondered if I could hold on and keep going to get through the pain to the place of victory. Through these experiences, I've learned that when you're in the middle of a painful situation, it can often feel like God isn't doing anything about it. But it's vitally important to trust Him during this time, because He is working in your heart to make you more like Christ.
Do you remember the last time you experienced a challenging or difficult situation? Maybe you're in the middle of one right now. We usually don't get excited about going through them. In fact, when trouble comes, we sometimes ask, "Why is this happening?" Many times, things happen that we simply don't understand. But that's okay—God doesn't expect us to have everything figured out. We can trust that He knows and will take care of everything. He wants us to look to Him and say, "God, I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'm trusting You to take care of me."
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! - Galatians 5:22-23 You may not know it, but when you gave your life to Jesus, all the fruits of the Spirit were planted inside you in seed form. Through the Spirit you can experience joy and peace in every circumstance, no matter how difficult or painful. You may not be a naturally patient person, but you can call on the Spirit within to produce patience. If you're battling unhealthy behaviors, like an addiction or some kind of bad habit, the Holy Spirit can give you the ability to resist the devil and make healthy choices.
The Bible teaches us that it's God's will for us to help hurting people. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (NIV). Matthew 22:37-39 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."
Words are wonderful when they are used in a good way. They can encourage, edify, and give confidence to the hearer. A right word spoken at the right time can actually be life-changing (Proverbs 15:23). But words can also keep us from experiencing God's plans for our lives. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) says, "The tongue has the power of life and death…." Words are containers for power, and we need to choose them carefully.
Do you ever feel like life is complicated? It's not supposed to be complicated. Jesus gave His life so we could have joy (John 10:10), not live complicated, frustrated lives. Complication steals joy and creates frustration. I have a lot going on, and it can become complicated if I let it. We have hundreds of employees and travel around the world…I have books to write and speaking engagements. It's sometimes hard to enjoy it all.
I think every single one of us can use more strength in life. We can use emotional strength, mental strength, and greater ability to handle life's problems and unpredictable situations. Maybe you're dealing with something right now that seems too big to handle. If so, I have good news for you—God wants to be your strength.
So many people, including myself, regularly come to places in our lives where we haven't been before. And when you're inexperienced in an area, your natural tendency is to move back into the familiar. Fear always comes against us when we face new things. But if you think about it, everything you're doing right now is something that at one time you had never done before.
Today, insecurity is an epidemic. Too many people, including many Christians, walk around timid, afraid, lacking confidence and feeling bad about themselves. But when Jesus died on the cross for us, something happened that I like to call "the divine exchange." He took away our sins and everything we are not, and then He made us perfect in Him. God wants you to be confident, bold, fearless and free. He wants you to be healthy and whole, fully able to pursue your destiny. And He desires for you to feel good about yourself and your relationship with Him.
Prayer is one of the most powerful forces on earth. James 5:16 (AMPC) says, "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]." Yet I've spoken to countless people who aren't satisfied with their prayer lives. They are longing for a deeper, richer, more dynamic relationship with God, but they're just not sure how to do it.
