As Christians, we understand that the way out of despair is not necessarily going to be for our situation to change, but for us to let God turn our despair to hope. Hope in the fact that God is who he promises he is. Hope that while money comes in handy on earth, our true inheritance is in heaven. Hope that God loves you anyway, even if family and friends can disappoint us. So what exactly is God’s promise? Let’s…..
While discouragement is definitely a mind-set, it is also a way of feeling. Too often, we give into those inner voices that are present when we least need them! There may be a legitimate reason for those feelings – God may be pointing us to a straighter path. But many times, the voices are just a product of our own doubts and imagination, and the voices may not be speaking the truth. At those times, I seek out the more…..
Frustration can often come from spinning our wheels and working to achieve something that is never meant to be. It may not even matter much in the grand scheme of things. Yet we toil, and we get frustrated! So how do we deal with this? First, ask yourself, “Did I cause this?” If we brought it on ourselves, then it is a great opportunity to learn from it. So grow from it! Second, thank God for the situation! That will…..
We are living in a fallen world, and life will never be completely pain free or problem free. And it is human nature to complain. But why exactly do you complain? Do you complain because you do not want to do what God wants you to do? Do you complain because you are focusing on tough circumstances, rather than focusing on what God is trying to teach you? Are you complaining because you have forgotten what God has done for…..
Doubts are to be expected – it is human nature to worry when life does not go as planned. We often look at our present circumstances, rather than God’s promises, and start to wonder if the future will be better. But guess what? We can only truly fight off our doubts by turning to our faith. My favorite scripture to turn to when I am experiencing doubt is found in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verses 11-13: “For I…..
I can be very stubborn at times, so I am especially blessed to have Christian friends who see beyond that! They understand that we all need to adapt to God’s great plan instead of stubbornly sticking to our own plans. As Christians we know that God has a wonderful future set out for us, and it is much better than we can even imagine, if we can only “let go and let God.” Remember Jeremiah 29:11? “For I know the…..
When I see my friends grieving, my heart aches for them. I want God to make things better for them right away! And he often does, especially during the instances when Christian friends are reaching out to them and showing them God’s love. But we also know that lasting comfort may not come so quickly. Christian friends will focus on the power of Christ to get you through whatever grief you may be experiencing. They know that God is working…..
So how do we “fear not,” as the Bible says time and time again? Some people seek power to conquer fear. That doesn’t work; I once read that Joseph Stalin was afraid to go to bed, sleeping in different rooms, and he traveled with five limos, all for safety. Some people seek possessions to conquer fear. Well, we all know the story of Howard Hughes, how he distrusted people and had paranoia about germs. And yes, he had many possessions!…..
To be deceitful means to live apart from God – the truth of God. Psalm 101:7 says, “No man who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no man who utters lies shall continue in my presence.” Outside the presence of God is a scary place to be; we have all been there from time to time. Colossians 2:8 says, “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition,…..
Resentment can result from an actual or perceived wrongdoing form another. For example, most of us have been publicly humiliated – maybe even by a friend. Sometimes we protest, sometimes we don’t. That can also be true when another belittles us privately or puts us down on a regular basis. I have numerous Christian friends who have found it difficult to get over the humiliation and the resentment that can grow from this kind of treatment. I have heard it…..