Skip to main content

grace during struggle

 


There are so many things in life that we just don’t understand.  There are also lots of things that are out of our control.  Difficult times are going to come our way.  Let’s get some perspective.  


James 1:2-4  NIV  

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 


Think about and hold on to joy when the difficult times come your way.  That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.  What does make sense is that there is something or best yet someone who has everything in control when it is out of my control.  That same person knows all will be ok when those difficult times seem overwhelming.


The struggle is real.  But so is God’s Amazing Grace.  It is a must to decide before something happens how you are going to respond.  You cannot predict everything, but we can plan and do our best.  That is to lean on the one who has control and will get me through.


That is where faith comes in.  Real faith is amazing.  And real faith is resting in His amazing grace. 


We continue a series at church based upon the hymn Amazing Grace, and Sunday I focused on the third verse.


verse 3 

Through many dangers, toils and snares

We have already come

'Twas grace that brought us safe thus far

And grace will lead us home


That is only o verse of the song, but that has to be our reality.  When the tough times come, we have to have something or someone to hang on to.  And that is our God who gave us Himself.  He gave us His love and passion to care us though the most difficult times.


Matthew 11:28-30  NLT  

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”


May our lives demonstrate the truth of God’s grace.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you

why is it Good Friday?

  Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation.  We come to Friday.  The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me   Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good?   Jesus was treated as a criminal.  He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him.  His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure.  That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the  Passion of the Christ .   Yet it is a good day.  It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart.  What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me:   He is Redemption and Redeemer   He too our Pain and Punishment   He is our Righteousness and Reality   He is the Savior and Life   All of those happened from the cross.  It was meant for the worst lawbreakers.  It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law.  It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus.   Look

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba.  Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve.   Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba.  There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met.  No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more.  These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana.  On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours.  We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours.  We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good.  We visited two partner churches.  In the morning we were with one church that