Do you have the Courage to Change? 7-19-2021

 

Do you have the Courage to Change? In His Word 7-19-21

 This article came from as far back as 2006! It was just what I needed today because change is something I find comes and goes, often times giving me a bit of fear or apprehension. It is always good to look in the Word to find the help we need! 





Where do we look to find answers for how to get through the troubles of this world we live in? How can we make it another day with all that we need to get done? How can we find hope for tomorrow’s answers?

 

Let’s Look -In His Word!

"Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

NKJV                                                                                  Deuteronomy  31:7-8

 

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, and be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

 

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.                                                         2 Timothy 2:1-7

 

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.            Romans 5:3-5

NKJV

 

You know what, we as Christians are big babies, and on top of that we are selfish babies. And trust me I am pointing a finger at myself first here.

We whine about everything, from catching a cold, to wanting God to fix our problems right now this minute with out any work on our part, just because He loves us! .

We ask God to get us out of things, often times it is trouble that we have gotten ourselves into, or maybe circumstances we just don’t like. But the Word of God tells us to persevere in that tribulation! When we do God will bring through and give us character. And from that character He will give us hope.

I could end right now and by telling you to keep going on through your struggles this week and God will give you hope in the end of it! I could just tell you that He has a plan in it to build character in it… but I won’t.

 

Though it is true, I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for everything under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3) we don’t always have a clue what or why we are going through what we are going through. His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55)

Often times I have suffered with a physical ailment, I have had to work through it and keep going even though I was in extreme pain at times, I know many of you can relate. Through my pain in the past, I have found such inspiration, I found that I had to be humble and allow others to help me through it. I had to give up pride and allow God to show me if I was doing wrong in order to suffer as I had. Then I had to do something about it. I had to change! I had to trust God to know what He was doing with my life. That was the hardest thing, because He usually makes me change something when I put my trust in Him.

I like the word new, but greatly dislike, the word change. Change in the past has meant to me forced difference in my life with out a choice. I now see it totally different! I sometimes see change as something new, a new adventure, or outlook on life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t always accept change, I often fight it, but I have found that just as Joshua had to do when he went into the Promised Land to claim it for Israel, I have to be strong and courageous.

 

When life does not go as you thought it would…
Be strong and courageous do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!

He has said He would not leave you nor forsake you, so don’t think He is now!

Sometimes we just have to suffer a little while, though it may seem long to us, Christ suffered for us already and has been there done that for us. So, we are not suffering alone. He is there with us, in all that we do and wherever we go.

This past week my youngest caught a flu. He was sick in the night, and I rose up, at a little after one in the morning, to his little voice telling me of his sickness and the need for mommy to clean something up.

So I did. I did not want to, but I did anyway. Because I love him and because I am his mommy. It is what we do as parents, we get up in the night and care for our children's needs. God does the same thing. 

The next day after a lack of sleep for a good many hours at night he informed me he hurt too much to walk. So, I carried him to the couch, set him up there nice and comfy and put his video on while I went and recleaned his room. He slept a while in discomfort and then I carried him back to bed. He slept all day and began feeling better.

Okay, he would have rather just been healed that instant. He would have rather just got up and played that day. But he slept. He rested, and he suffered a little while. Why did he have to suffer? Because we live in this world, where flu bugs are rampant, and people spread germs. It is just a part of life.

 

But he is a good Christian boy; he should always be healthy right? He is, actually, he does not catch as many colds as most kids, he is a prayer warrior for others; even when he was not well himself, he prayed for my headache this weekend.

 The point is, we all have to suffer sometimes, and when we do it puts our focus on the Lord.Joshua did not just walk in and take the keys to the city out of the king’s hands, he had to fight for it, and suffer some loss too. Even with Jericho they had to walk around this big walled city for 7 days! And 7 times on the 7th day. Tell me your feet would not hurt after that?  Then went on to battle from there! You would thing it was over after the walls came down, but that was just the breakthrough, then the real battle began!

None the less, he was strong as a leader, and courageous, because He knew God was with him in it. He knew that whatever he did God was with him. Even when he had to punish people for taking what God had told them not to take, he knew God was with him. The thing was that Joshua followed God’s lead. That is the clue to getting through the troubles in life.

 

We need to be strong and follow after God, because in Him we can know that we don’t have to fear for He is with us. Okay so maybe what you are going through is worse than a flu, let me tell you the same God who helped me clean a carpet at 2 am. The same God who helped me get up the next day to take care of my sick son as well as teach my jr higher, and do my other jobs around the house, can help you in your situation.

I am thankful to God that I have this son who got sick for me to clean up! He is the one who was born beyond blue, and today he is a strong boy!

 The thing to know is that our lives will not always be easy for us. Often times we will just want to run away, the thing to do is to run to Jesus, sit at His feet and pray.

As He said in John 15:16, You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

He appointed you to live in this time and maybe the thing you are going through to day will bear fruit for His Glory. Remember it’s not about you! It’s not about me! It’s all about Jesus! Its all about Him, so if we have to suffer a little while here in this world, we can know that He has such a great reward for us in heaven. His ways are not our ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to not be so whiney but to be strong and courageous in all that I face each day. Give me wisdom from Your Word, show me how to get out of or get through the circumstances I face that cause me grief or worry. Help me to trust in You. In Jesus name, amen

 

Suggested Readings for this week;

Monday: John 15: 1-27

Tuesday:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Wednesday: Isaiah 55:all

Thursday: Psalm 39:1-13

Friday: Psalm 40:1-17

 Weekend readings: Psalm 41-43 all are ever-present encouragement in times of stress and trouble.

***If for any reason you choose ever not to receive this devotion again, please remember that all it takes is replying with a "Please remove me from this list." I do ask that if there is a problem with anything I write for you to feel free to write me back and let me know what the problem was that we might go over it together and seek the truth in love.

In His love,

Teresa M. Wilson