Trials Promised

“No one said it would be easy, but no one said we had to go it alone either.”

Loren Thornburg

As I get ready to go on another overseas trip I am reminded that it is not an easy process.  It never has been and yet somehow I keep wanting it to be.  Yet, it’s not just these trips that I find that to be the case.  It’s most things.  I want life to be easy, to be ideal, to be comfortable.  The reality and the truth is that it is not these things most of the time.  Sometimes we have seasons and moments where the ideal comes to be and things fall into place with ease and comfort.  More than those sometimes, most of the time, life brings less than ideal.  It brings trials, frustrations, and distresses.  So the trick is learning to accept that and make the most of it.  I have found one of the best ways to make the most of it is in good company.  We may have to go through trials but we don’t have to go them alone.  So join in as others walk it out and let others walk with you.  It may not be easy but it can be a bit easier.  So expect trials, accept trials, and join in trials.  

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace and confidence.  In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of the power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

John 16:33 Amplified

Jesus says that we will have trials.  He promises that we will have frustrations.  It’s not “if” you have them but “when” you have them.  It’s not a possibility, but a guarantee.  Yet, that is not the only guarantee we have.  He has promised to overcome the world.  He is why we can have peace and confidence in the midst of whatever trial that comes our way.  He is with us.  He is our peace.  We may have distresses in our midst but we have Someone bigger in our midst as well.  Let Him show you how He wants to deprive it of the power to harm you and conquer it.  Let Him be your peace in the midst of whatever you face.  

Go Seek

Go Seek

“The more you seek, the more you find.”

Loren Thornburg

In the game of hide and seek you won’t find anyone unless you go seeking.  What I have found is that I too don’t find much unless I seek for it.  I have been writing devotions for many years.  The surprising thing is that it’s not the norm that I have a burning inspiration of what I want to write about when I sit down to write.  Every now and then I sit down with a thought I want to share, but most of the time I sit down and start seeking what to write and what I find is a thought I want to share.  It’s after I stop and think about what’s been going on and what I’ve been learning that I find something.  It’s in the habit of knowing I am going to write something each week that I am seeking for it throughout the week.  So it is with other things.  The more we are in the habit of seeking, of stopping, of looking; the more we will be in the habit of seeing and finding. 

““When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.

“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.

“I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—“bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.”

Jeremiah 29:13-14 Message

God is not trying to be an expert hider like in the game of hide and seek.  He wants to be found.  He is not hiding from us as much as it may seem at times.  He promises that when we seek after Him we won’t be disappointed.  This seeking is an intentional, all out, settle for nothing less, than finding Him kind of seeking.  Not because He wants to exhaust you, but rather He knows it’s in this all out search where you will stop at nothing short of Him that you find what you need...trust in Him.  He loves you so much and knows how much you are in need of Him.  What you will find in seeking Him is that He was actually seeking you the whole time, pursuing you, drawing you to Him.  His love and pursuit never runs out on you.  That’s worth the search, no matter what it takes.