Monday, January 18, 2016

Keep on Trusting God : a devotion by Ann Broughton





“Trust is the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).

Have you ever heard the saying; “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? As Christians there will be times in our lives when indeed the going gets tough. We are not exempt from illness, misfortune, tragedy, or sorrow. But how we handle these situations can be a witness to others who do not have our hope. How do you get going when the going is tough? Let me give you some encouraging thoughts on this subject.

The first thing during a time of crisis is to pray and ask others to pray for you. Tell God about everything and pour out your heart to him. Jesus was in a crisis in the garden when He went to pray before his crucifixion. He asked his friends to pray also. He asked God to take the cup away from him, meaning his approaching death, but then He said to God, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39 NIV). We should always pray that God’s will be done in any situation just like Jesus did. Then we need to trust Him with the answer, knowing that His will is best.

Second, stay calm. I know that this is very difficult, because the very word crisis brings about terror in your soul. But staying calm can happen if you trust God to give you the strength you will need for this time of upheaval in your life. There have been times in my life that God’s peace filled me when otherwise I would have totally lost control of my emotions. I promise that in difficult situations if you trust God and pray, He will give you the strength and peace to meet your difficulty in a calm manner.

Finally, keep on trusting that God has this situation in His hands. He knows the outcome, and He can make everything good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV). 

Dear Lord,
We know that life is filled with unpredictable circumstances that are out of our control. Help us to believe that you are with us and will give us the strength and peace to handle these situations in a way that is a good witness to others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

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