Tag: hope

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Jesus takes the pain away

Many of us struggle with letting go of our past or releasing the pain we feel because of afflictions. Perhaps it is a loved one that passed away, friendships that dissipate, a romantic relationship, or a recent layoff at the job. Whatever it is, letting go of pain is difficult. What does God say about these situations in our lives, how do we cope and how do we move on in a healthy way? There is a verse in the Bible that is very encouraging when it comes down to seasons like this in your life, and of course you may feel free to share any verse you may know, too.

Philippians 3:12 – “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.”

Jesus understands our pain and He is there to comfort us. Jesus wept when Lazarus died, even knowing that He could resurrect him, He still mourned the loss. In Philippians 3:12, the Apostle Paul is looking forward to what lies ahead, and his goal was to resemble and mold his character to that of Christ; to run this race faithfully until the very end. As Christians, we set our eyes towards heaven and the promise of eternal life. While things here on Earth can and are to hurt us, every suffering and every tear we shed, our Lord  Jesus will wipe away. Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” There is great comfort in knowing this, and we have this hope in Christ, that nothing can separate us from His love.

As we go through this pain of letting go, we can also look forward to better days. Weeping will endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning says the word of God. 2 Corinthians 4:17 reminds us that our afflictions here are temporary, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Whether it is persecution for believing in Christ or any type of grief, God is holding your hand through it all. Be honest to God about your pain, your trouble with letting go, and He will help you. Remember that Jesus is near the brokenhearted and like pastor Joe Wyrostek at MPI Church, says, “Jesus takes the pain away.”

Give your burdens to Him, cry out to Him. Little by little, the Holy Spirit will show you why that dear beloved person left your side, or why that season ended in your life. He will make light of it and your spirit will comprehend it, until you are ready to let go. And if you’re having a hard time letting go, ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and He will.

God bless you, beloved child of God.

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The Make it or Break it Test

       Are you one of those people who is currently struggling to pass a test? Does this test mean everything for you? Your livelihood is at stake, your career, your destination. You’ve either failed at it several times and you feel hopeless, or you’re preparing for it and the thought of it makes the yoke heavier. The anxiety keeps increasing and you’re literally a slave to this test. If this is you, you’re definitely not alone and God will work everything out for your good; I am serious. These past three years I’ve been working on getting my license for my teaching career. In order to receive this license, you have to go through a series of requirements showing experience, you need a bachelor’s degree, and you need to pass about seven incredibly difficult state exams. Some of the exams I passed with flying colors, others not so much. As a journalism major, learning about the educational field was completely new to me. It was a world I had never entered and I was starting from scratch. After some time, I passed all six of my exams. I thought I was finished, but I wasn’t. There was one more exam I needed to fulfill to complete the requirements of my job. I figured it wouldn’t be such a difficult task, what’s one more test? It turned out harder than I had imagined.

       Throughout my journey with this test and preparation, God taught me a few things that I would like to share with you. This is especially for those people who feel as if this particular “test” defines who they are, what will happen to them, and it has the ability to break you. The truth is, no test has that power to overcome you in any way. Here is what God taught me:

#1 Put God First. ( Sometimes we can be SO consumed with this test, we eat, breath, and even have nightmares about it. We weep about it, we fret over it, and we halt our time with God, our social lives and even our personal time due to this test. It’s important that we always put God before everything else and not worry. He is the only one that deserves all that time and attention, not a test).

#2 Trust in God’s Timing. (Yes, it sounds cliche, but it’s a fundamental lesson. God knows you’re on a deadline, you don’t need to remind him. Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” God will not allow you to fail, He will give you a helping hand).

#3 Let Go. (This one took me at least six months before I understood why I had to let go. I had to let go of the pressure, the fear of not having a job, the fear of not fulfilling my final task, the fear of failure. I had to trust in God’s provision and that He would be faithful to guide me on the right path, even if I did not pass).

#4 Honor God by Trusting Him. ( I could not do this in my own strength. I came to a point that I could no longer rely solely on my knowledge, but I needed God’s wisdom for this exam. Even asking for the right studying material was something I needed to seek God for. Surrender it all to Him and HE WILL guide you).

#5 Persevere. ( Romans 5:4 – “Perseverance, character; and character, hope.” God showed this verse to me when I asked him what else was I supposed to do when I started losing hope. This is something we must never forget, perseverance is the only thing that will mold our character and give us hope. God allows you to go through this trial so that you will learn this).

In the end, I passed my test. I am so grateful but more than anything I am grateful for what God taught me. I’ll never forget the lessons. This entire time I wasn’t preparing to pass this state exam, I was preparing to pass God’s test. May this bless you and give you the courage to fight and remember this, God never fails… Joshua 1:9- Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go).

God bless!

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