Encouragement – Page 32 – The Will to Wake Up

The Thing That Hurts Us

Are you really angry at someone right now? Did someone hurt you deeply? Here is some advice and encouragement as to how to heal your heart.

I was recently doing a Bible study with some friends, and the message for that week was about how important our thoughts are to our well-being. Not only that, but to our relationship with God.

If you’ve ever struggled with loneliness, anxiety, depression, or stress, I’m sure you can agree that those intrusive thoughts that bombard our minds seem to take over our lives.

But I think something that people don’t often associate with our mental health is anger. Anger can easily take over our lives and destroy our relationships. Not only that, but it can destroy our mental well-being too.

I think it’s interesting, in a sad way, that our society seems to glorify being angry.

“Oh, you’re angry at that side? Excellent, that means that you are the best supporter for us.”

“You’re mad that this person won? Go fight for your beliefs!”

People often support their anger with the story of how Jesus turned tables over in the temple. “If Jesus was angry, then we can be angry too!”

Being angry is natural. But it doesn’t mean we should stay angry, and it does mean that we need to pay attention to what we are doing with our anger. When Jesus expressed His anger over the injustices going on in His city, He did not hurt people with His anger. I think that’s a good question to check ourselves with. When we are doing ____ because we are angry, does that hurt anyone?

The next thing to think about is, where is the root cause of this anger? Is it hurt? Frustration? Something unrelated to the thing you’re fueling your angry energy towards?

Jesus spoke against the rulers that were harming people’s relationship with God. Jesus was frustrated by the unfairness and lies being spread. He was standing up for truth.

I’m going to admit something to you right now. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been very angry at a couple people in my life. I didn’t want to feel hurt, so instead I fueled my energy towards thinking negative thoughts about them. I wanted to feel powerful, powerful enough to be in charge of my feelings.

But then I came across this verse, and it frightened me.

“In your anger, do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Ephesians 4:26-27

Whoa. Okay, just take a moment with me here to think about this. When we are angry, we allow the devil to work through us. That is certainly frightening, isn’t it? That means that instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to be the One guiding us, we are allowing our enemy to take over. That’s such an incredible loss. That means we gave over to our real permanent enemy, not just the temporary one we’ve found in a friend, relative, or random internet stranger.

Then, as I kept reading, I was struck by this additional verse.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirt of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30

When we are angry, we hurt God.

I know a lot of times we think we are just hurting the other person when we think angry thoughts about them or when we seek revenge. But the thing is, we are hurting everyone involved– ourselves, the other person, and God. God is involved in our daily lives, which means He knows when we are upset. He understands when we are hurt, but instead of letting our pride get in the way, we need to come to Him and express the deep pain we are feeling.

Because, let’s face it. We are angry because we allowed ourselves to become vulnerable enough to trust someone, and they blew it. They might’ve betrayed your trust in numerous ways. It could be taking the opposite side on an issue you’re passionate about. Maybe they told someone something personal about you that ruined your reputation. Perhaps they didn’t show up in your life the way you thought they would–maybe even in a way they previously promised they would.

Friend, it’s totally normal and okay to be upset when someone does terrible things to us. Or even not-so-terrible things that still hurt us.

But we can’t stay stuck in those feelings. We have to forgive them.

Because if we don’t forgive them, we are losing our battle against the evil in this world. We are allowing our lives to be run by our anger instead of our love.

So today, if there’s someone you need to forgive, even if it’s just in your heart, please do it. It will change your life.

When I took that step to forgive those people, my life didn’t change over night. But I did feel an overwhelming sense of peace and a burden lifted off my shoulders. And the next time I am hurt by someone, I will have to remind myself that no matter how hard it is, I shouldn’t make the hurt worse by allowing resentment to take over.

Instead, let us both place those feelings in God’s hands and move on with our lives.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20

Forward

Having trouble letting go of someone? Here is some advice and encouragement.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but…

It’s okay to move forward. It’s okay to move on. It’s not mean.

If you needed to hear that, then someone probably came to mind. Perhaps an old friend, an ex, a person from your past that hurt you. But you were close, and you don’t want to let go.

Maybe everyone close to you has told you that you need to let go. That it would be the best thing for your mental health. That you deserve better.

And if you’re at the stage where you know that letting go is better for you, then you agree. You know that you are a child of God, born to love and to be loved back.

But something is stopping you. Something is in your path, denying you the chance to move on.

Perhaps you didn’t get the closure that you needed.

Let me tell you, I lived with the lie–that false belief that plagues our media obsessed society– that we have to get closure in order to move on. Then, literally a couple days ago, a post by a psychology expert changed my life.

To paraphrase, her post went something like this: I don’t know who gave you the idea that you have to get closure in order to move on. Maybe it was all those romance movies or books, the way the media likes to make us feel like we’re the anomaly…but the thing is, so many of us don’t get closure. And if we do, then we still have questions afterwards. There’s never going to be that moment that the other person makes for us where we suddenly lose that love and feel as free as a bird soaring through the sky. But the thing the media doesn’t tell us is that those movies are all fiction. Our lives are our own. We are the only ones who can give ourselves the freedom to move on and enjoy life again.

To add to that, from a Christian perspective, yes, we are the only ones who can bring closure. Except, we can’t do it alone. Jesus is there and He knows what it’s like to feel rejected, abandoned, and betrayed–by His own loved ones! His disciples! He does completely understand how we feel and He is the only one who will never leave us.

Here’s some tough love. You’re not going to get closure.

You’re not.

Not in the way you expect, anyway. Oh sure, you might have a good long talk. You might even part ways as the sun is setting behind the mountains as joyful tears fall from your face. But that’s never going to be enough.

The only way to feel fully content is to find your joy and satisfaction in Jesus. The only way to not be lonely is to surround yourself with God’s love, by praying continually and reading the Bible, not to mention staying in close contact with others who encourage and support you.

You might feel like a mean person for moving on, and I get that. I get all of these feelings.

But the thing is, you are making the choice to move on from this person because they hurt you. Because they weren’t good for you. Because you know deep down in your heart that the Holy Spirit (plus your best friends) told you that it’s time to let go.

So, if you feel like moving on means that you’re still in contact, but just not relying on them, then fine. If moving on means that you’re blocking them for your own sanity, then alright. If moving on means simply having that freeing feeling in your heart and not thinking about them anyone, then good.

Moving on isn’t the same for everyone. But ultimately it means that this person isn’t your whole world anymore. They aren’t going to be consuming your thoughts, bogging you down, or making you feel less than who God says you are.

Moving on means that you’re free. You can finally be who God created you to be without other people getting in the way of that.

I know it’s hard, but I also know you can do it.

Don’t give up.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that tis to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3

Don’t Let the Enemy Steal Your Joy

Are you having trouble fully experiencing joy this Christmas? This might encourage you and help you regain your joy.

Christmas time can bring a lot of different feelings for everyone. For some, it might bring excitement, anticipation, and hope. For others, it may bring up past feelings of grief, loneliness, and confusion. I bet that this year is harder than most as even people who normally have a lot to celebrate mourn all that was lost over the past year. I am sending prayers of comfort for all of you grieving someone or something this holiday season.

However, I’m also here to bring encouragement and help you not lose anymore joy this season.

I’ve talked about joy a lot on here, and that’s because it’s an important part of our daily lives. To redefine joy, it’s not just a state of happiness that lasts for only a short time. Rather, joy is a permanent part of us that we can have as believers in Jesus because we have faith in a good God despite hard circumstances. Joy is having hope in the future no matter what happened today. Joy is knowing that we can still be content despite what the world tells us.

On many Christmas cards I handed out this year and received, the words peace, hope, and joy were on them. Those words are often associated with Christmas because we think about how joyful that first Christmas must have been, right? We imagine the little nativity that we learned about in Sunday school where all the people came to the inn with their animals, bearing gifts for the newborn King.

But the truth is, there was a lot that first Christmas that was hard. They had a corrupt government, civil unrest, injustice, and many people struggled with illness, poverty, and uncertainty about the future. Sound familiar?

Basically, if we really think about it, Jesus made quite the sacrifice coming that first Christmas. He entered a world full of sin, a world that can never be made perfect without Him. And to top it all off, Jesus came down knowing how He would be humiliated and killed, rejected and despised, poor and without shelter many a time.

Yet, through Jesus’ love for US, He made that sacrifice to come down for us. Christmas is a celebration of love, Christ’s love, and the ultimate sacrifice He would later make for us.

You may have thought that they had more to celebrate that first Christmas than we do now, what with COVID, civil unrest, and all the other issues plaguing our world today. But as you can see, they really did have many opportunities to lose sight of their joy. Yet the ones who worshiped Jesus, who saw what a great sacrifice He was going to make for us, were the ones who really got a lot out of Christmas. When they turned to Jesus, their hope was restored. Their lives were made new. Their hearts opened to the reality that the most powerful being in the universe came down to save them.

And that’s the way to experience true joy this Christmas, to not let the burdens and hardships our present circumstances bring allow us to miss out on fully experiencing Jesus’ love for us.

I’m going to close with a recent event that happened in my life.

I was driving to the barn where I work and ride horses. As I was driving, I couldn’t help but feel this overwhelming sense of joy and appreciation for Jesus. I started praising Him for everything He has done for me and I knew that the enemy would try to steal my joy. But I told Jesus as I got out of the car that I wasn’t going to let the enemy win.

About an hour later, I was laying on the ground of the arena, my riding partner asking me if I was okay.

The horse I had been riding, who has never spooked on me before, randomly spooked at an unknown thing and I flew off onto the ground.

Standing up too quickly and needing to take a breather, I replied that I was fine, just a bit dusty, sore, and wondering what on earth was going on.

Thankfully, I’m okay. I am still sore and stiff, but after walking around and reconnecting with the horse, I got back on and cooled her down before telling her owner about it. I know that there could’ve been something that startled her, but I can’t shake the feeling that it was also a spiritual occurrance. I know that the enemy was trying to steal my joy yesterday.

But I didn’t let him.

Instead, I am going to use this experience as a reminder of how God took care of me since it could’ve been worse, of how far I’ve come as a rider to be able to just get right back on and explain the situation to others, and to be grateful that I am on the road to recovery.

This Christmas, no matter what you are going through, don’t let the enemy steal what’s rightfully yours. Jesus’ love is for you. It’s for all of us to celebrate and experience. And the joy that comes from that is yours too.

Merry Christmas! I’ll be praying that this holiday season brings you hope, love, and ultimately joy.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:9

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:29

Hope in the Midst of an Unknown Future

Are you feeling anxious about what the new year might bring? Here is some encouragement about who holds your future.

Don’t be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.
Corrie ten Boom

I saw that quote on a day where the future feels…shaky. As we head into the new year, there has been a lot of speculation as to what 2021 will hold for us. Will the affects of COVID be over with by this time next year? Will we still have our health, family members, friends, or jobs? What if something worse happens next year?

So many questions and so few answers. I think many of us could use 2020 as a year to doubt God and His goodness.

But instead, I’d like for you to think of this past year differently. How has God shown that He is still good and still working despite all that’s happened? We don’t have to happy about all the difficulties we’ve faced this past year. But we should be able to find ways to have hope in the midst of it all.

I have talked to many people close to me about how having to stay at home has affected them. We all have agreed that by regular life going on pause, we have found new ways to connect with God. Now we are making it a habit to pray, read the Bible, and just spend that intentional time with Him. That should be the most valuable thing and best use of time for us.

As you get ready for Christmas and New Year’s, I hope that you can still feel joy, despite all the hardships you’ve faced this year. And as you step into the unknown, I hope you can believe that God is working through everything, no matter how things end up. Don’t stop trusting God just because others might or because things seem uncertain. Just think about the Christmas story and all the unlikely people God used to bring true love and joy into the world. He can and will use you too.

Today, make a list for all the unexpected blessings that have come from this strange year, and another list of things you are looking forward to in the future. No matter what you’re worried about, God has already taken care of it. He loves you so much and He knows what’s best for you.

Don’t give up. ❤

Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Through the Difficulties

How do you often react when life suddenly gets stressful? This might help you put things into perspective.

I’m not sure if anyone will read this, since it’s rather an odd time to be posting. But I just had to share what God did for me today and what God has shown me.

I am a pretty hesitant driver…I was in a car accident about a year and a half ago, and I had a lot I had to go through in order to get back behind the wheel. Being in the car is not my favorite thing, let alone driving one. However, it’s a must, especially since I have a job that’s about twenty five minutes away from my home. Anyway, I’ve had some issues figuring out my headlights lately. It’s really dark when I drive home, so if they aren’t working properly, then no one can see me.

Well, I thought I had finally figured them out, and I was happily driving home from work today, relatively comfortable behind the wheel as I listened to my favorite Christmas tunes. I had this weird feeling several times earlier today to pray for safety, yet that didn’t really influence how I was feeling about driving.

I was almost to my house and at a stop light when a car pulled up next to me and started honking at me. I quickly rolled down my window since he was gesturing for me to do that and the guy in the car informed me that my headlights weren’t turned on and he had almost hit my car.

That was so embarrassing. I was humiliated, especially since I am pretty easily embarrassed. I quickly thanked him and turned the switch to a higher brightness. I hadn’t realized that they were only on in the front.

After getting over my humiliation, I realized that God not only saved my life, or at least prevented me from an accident, just today. I had been turning my headlights on like that for a while now, which means they may not have actually been working in the back that whole time.

I think the enemy was trying to use my embarrassment to distract me from thanking God for His goodness and mercy. Not only that, but today’s events have once again shown me that God still has a plan for me and that He wants to still use me, that’s why He protected me. That’s also why I had that feeling earlier that I should pray for protection, which shows God answers prayers.

While feelings of disappointment, embarrassment, or annoyance are certainly valid, I think the enemy manipulates them so that we forget about all that God has done for us. I’ll admit that I spent too much time being embarrassed and upset over the situation that I didn’t stop to fully appreciate all that God was trying to show me through my experience today.

I know that God has a plan for you. Looking back on this past year, I am so grateful I didn’t give up on so many different things, including on myself. It’s really hard, I know it is, to keep going. But you can do it, I believe in you. God is going to take care of you. Be patient and trust that whatever you’re going through right now, God’s right there beside you. And perhaps if you had a scary or difficult thing happen recently, take a look at how God may be moving through that. God certainly works in mysterious ways.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, sea re my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

Leaving the Past Behind Us

Do you have trouble letting go? Here is some encouragement.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten so much out of the “Luke Challenge” this year. If you haven’t heard of it, basically the goal is to read one chapter of Luke every day starting from December 1st until Christmas Eve, since there are 24 chapters in Luke. The point is to celebrate Jesus and learn more about His time on Earth. Jesus has a different message for each of us this year, and it’s important to spend time reflecting on His legacy and on what He’s taught us in 2020.

Anyway, I have felt very convicted multiple times during this challenge, and I’m only through chapter 9! But last night’s in particular stuck out to me. I’ll share the passage below. It’s titled in some translations “The Cost of Following Jesus”.

As they were traveling across the road someone said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow me.”
“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”
Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say goodbye to those at my house.”
But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:57-62

Ok, first of all, let’s just take a pause for a moment and really let those words soak in.

Wow.

I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at letting go. Letting go of what, you might ask? Literally everything. People, possessions, dreams– even when I know something else is better for me. There are so many points made in this chapter, but I’m going to focus on the point Jesus makes about being willing to let go in order to follow Him.

When I first read this passage, I thought, “Wow, Jesus, you’re sure being harsh on them for not even letting them say goodbye to their families or even bury their loved ones.” But the more I thought about it, I think the point Jesus is trying to make is different than just our surface level assumptions.

Jesus is not necessarily (I’m not going to speak on His behalf of course) saying that you have to suddenly ditch everyone and be irresponsible. In fact, God is described as being faithful several times in the Bible, and we should be faithful as well. He is also not trying to tell us to not love others enough to even say goodbye or to not honor the dead.

Personally, I believe that Jesus is trying to emphasize that while we should love others and be loyal, nothing can come between Him and us. When we agree to follow Jesus, we change completely. We are a whole new person with a whole new life. And when we get so focused on our past lifestyle, then we can’t truly move forward with doing what Jesus commands us to do. We can’t have it both ways; we have to pick either our old way of living or follow Jesus and love Him with our entire heart.

I know how challenging it can be to let go of something, especially if we thought at one point that it was meant for us. But we can’t let our dreams, possessions, or even others come in between us and God. We simply cannot truly live for God with one foot in our old life and one foot in the new. It just doesn’t work like that, no matter how much we want it to.

Today, I challenge you to take a step back and reflect on the areas of your life where you may be living as your old self instead of your new self. Stop dwelling on the past, whether it’s mistakes you made long ago or dreams that didn’t come true for you. You are a whole new person now, and those chains do not have to hold you down any longer. Is there anything in your life coming between you and Jesus? A relationship? A job? A habit you simply can’t break?

This is one of the hardest things we can do– letting go. Not only that, but admitting we’ve done wrong in the first place can be difficult too. But it’s so important. Neglecting our need for growth is one of the biggest things that separates us from God.

I’ll be taking this challenge with you and checking in later to see where we’re at. For now, I pray that you can grow closer to God through this season.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

Lose Me to Love You

How has this year changed you and your relationship with God?

I don’t know about you, but a little something I’ve started looking forward to each year around this time is my Spotify Wrapped– basically a summery of what songs I listened to and who I listened to over the past year.

To my complete shock, the song that I apparently played the most in 2020 was Lose You to Love Me, by Selena Gomez. I mostly play contemporary Christian music, but I also dapple in pop and random other genres that people recommend. Yet this surprised me because I hadn’t listened to this song since sometime last spring. But reflecting on the title and the concept caused me to think for a minute.

I think that in many ways, one of the biggest things I learned in 2020 was summed up in the title “Lose You to Love Me”. Throughout the year, I realized that it’s okay to be misunderstood for my faith and my uniqueness. It’s okay to not be liked by everyone I meet. It’s okay to stand out sometimes. And most importantly, it’s okay to not live up to other people’s expectations. The only one who should define us is God. Ultimately, the only ones we will have at the end will be God and ourselves. We can’t fully love others until we invest that same energy in appreciating ourselves and recognizing how we are made in God’s image.

But an even more important lesson I learned was in the reverse of this title. I learned to lose me to love God. I have always wanted to be in control, but this year more than ever did I realize in order to fully trust God, I have to let go of my own plans in order to accept where He was leading me. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day that we forget that God has an even bigger plan for us. When we get fixated on just what we can see, we lose our faith. For faith is not in the seen, but is assurance of what we do not see.

I think 2020 is a year in which we’ve all needed a lot of faith. Whether it’s been having faith in a God that’s still good despite all the civil unrest, tragedies, and uncertainties, to wondering what is to come in the future. But before COVID and all that has defined 2020 for many of us, I wrote down as my word of the year a word that many may not associate with how this year’s been– hope.

My translation of the definition of faith that used the word assurance (which was taken from the Bible) in some translations is actually the word hope. Faith is not some wishful thinking type of hope. Faith is hoping with complete confidence that God will restore our lives and use us according to His purpose.

It’s definitely been a strange year. But I’ve noticed more than ever before that God is working in mysterious ways that we can’t even comprehend. So today, whether you are feeling discouraged by the weight of the world or how this year may have disappointed you, remember that we can still have faith. We can still have hope.

But we can only feel free of worry when we lose ourselves and our failures, disappointments, and concerns by focusing on what is never changing– our loving relationship with God.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:22-24

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

You Don’t Need Justification

Are you in a dark part of your life right now? Here’s a little hope.

For several months of my life a few years ago, I felt like the most lonely person in the world. I almost wanted to be diagnosed with something so that I could have justification for how I felt.

When talking about my experiences with loneliness, I often share with others the major life events that took place during that time, trying to explain the justification behind my feelings.

There are so many people out there feeling upset, discouraged, and utterly alone. Hopeless. They want an answer to why they are feeling the way they do, so they turn to online resources, personality tests, and their community. They want to feel like they have a reason for being who they are.

I want to say this right now, and I hope you can believe it. You don’t need to justify how you’re feeling to anyone. God made you the way you are for a reason– never doubt that. You are lovable. You are worthy. You have a purpose.

I feel like we often just need that reminder, no matter who we are or what we are struggling with. We need validation.

But the only one who should be allowed to validate us is God himself. God is the one who knows us, loves us unconditionally, and created us in the beginning.

No one else can say that. So then why do we give them power over our lives?

Just some thoughts on a day that has been a little extra tough for me. Maybe you’re going through one of those days too.

You’re not alone. God will always be with you, to the very end of the age. He promises that, and God has never broken a single promise.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

Can I be Upset AND a Christian?

If you’ve felt guilty for being anything but happy, then this post is for you.

I’m going to be honest with you, because I always am, and say that recently I haven’t really been feeling myself. It’s been off and on, and I’ve tried to avoid thinking about it.

But today I had something force me to think about it. I confronted my emotions and tried to figure out what had changed. I realized that perhaps I was hurt about something that I didn’t want to deal with and I was allowing that to come into other parts of my life.

Something not often discussed by Christians is how to confront our negative feelings. Often the verse “count it all joy” comes to mind and we decide that it’s best to not feel those uncomfortable things. If we are upset, then we aren’t Christian, right?

Wrong.

Being joyful all the time does not mean we have to be happy all the time. Joy does not equal happiness.

Being joyful means that while we can be upset, we do not have to give up on our hope in Jesus. We still believe that He is good no matter what. We are not as easily discouraged. However, it means we can and should cry when we need to and feel those difficult emotions when they arise.

If you are not feeling particularly happy today, that’s okay. But instead of allowing that sadness to flow into all the areas of your life, take some time to rest today and reflect on what exactly is causing you to feel this way. Is it someone that hurt you in the past? Is is a major stressor that you’ve been trying to ignore?

Take time to pray to God and ask Him how to combat these feelings in a healthy way. It’s okay if you need to call someone you can trust to seek help or if you don’t feel like talking about it.

I want you to remember that being upset does not mean you’re a “bad Christian”. Even Jesus wept and got upset. But He didn’t allow that to hurt His relationships or negatively impact His ministry. Instead, He used those feelings as a way to connect with His Father.

So today, if you aren’t feeling quite yourself, that’s okay. I want you to take some time to sit with those feelings and understand what is causing them. If you need to make some changes, then make those changes!

Ultimately, God is in control of your life and He will be there for you whether you’re angry, sad, heartbroken, happy, or anything in between. God loves you so much.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Psalm 34:17-20

The Unexpected Ways God Works

Have you been discouraged by prayers not being answered the way you had hoped?

I’ve been reminded a lot throughout this past week, and even before, about how God truly gives us what we need. He knows what’s best for us more than anybody else ever will.

I want you to think back to the last time you prayed, whether it was this morning, yesterday, or months ago. If you can remember, write down what you asked God for.

Now, looking back at that list, think about whether what you asked God for was phrased like example A or example B.

A) “Dear God, I really want this job. I think it will be the best job possible for me. I have asked so many people to pray for this and I believe that it’s Your will for me to have this job because I can witness to people and because I worked so hard that I deserve it. Thank you in advance, God.”

B) “Dear God, a new job opportunity has arisen for me. I feel like it is a job that You have given me the talents for, but ultimately I want to follow Your lead. If this is a job where I can serve you and others and fulfill my potential, then I will be pleased, but if not, I will know that there is something better out there for me. If there is a different job I must pursue, please help me have the courage to pursue it. Let Your will be done.”

I bet you could see a difference between the two prayers. One acted like God was a magical genie that would grant wishes while the other recognized how God is the One in control no matter what.

I think a lot of times we forget how much God knows about us. If you think about it, God created you. He had you in mind since the beginning of time. If you think your parents or anyone who has known you for most of your life knows you well, then realize that God must know you even more than they do! He knows us even better than we know ourselves.

I have a friend who knows me so well, and sometimes I joke with her that she knows me better than I know myself, which is why I ask for her advice so often! I know that she has my best interest in mind and that she will help me make the right decisions.

God is like that, only so much better. He has everyone’s best interest in mind and He’s able to make everything happen the way that it is meant to be. I know that can be so hard to believe, but it’s true.

Now, I want you to think about what you were praying hardest for last month. Or maybe even last year. Some time that isn’t too recent.

How has God answered that prayer? If He didn’t answer it the way you wanted, then would you say He didn’t answer it? Or can you think of how God’s answer was even better than what you could’ve imagined?

If you can’t see what God’s doing yet, that’s okay. Sometimes it takes months or even years. But it’s important to reflect on the ways God is working unexpectedly in your life.

I prayed about two months ago for God to give me new opportunities. God blessed me with something even greater– more ways to express gratitude as well as contentment about things that I had been stressed about for a long time.

Maybe God didn’t answer my prayer the way I had wanted. But He answered it in a way that was so much better. And now, I don’t necessarily even want what I had originally been praying for because I have realized that by the way God answered my prayer, I have gotten closer to Him.

Our relationship with God is the most important relationship we will ever have.

Today, I hope you can feel encouraged that despite your prayers not always getting answered the way you wanted, God is still working in your life for good.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

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

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20