Tag: troubles

Real Peace

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture, Song, testimony1 Comment

I never really understood what God’s peace means in my life until I started having one health problem after another. My natural tendency would be to rail against the unfairness of life and to give God a stern talking to about the fact that my life was not being blessed as He promised and I expected. The problem was that I was blessed, He kept His promises, but it was my expectations that were wrong.

This quotation from C.S. Lewis explains what I discovered is absolute truth. No matter how many problems I faced, I still had God on my side, in my corner, watching my back. All of those things and more! The circumstances didn’t change, but my attitude toward them did. What could be so wrong, you may ask? I was born with asthma, a single kidney that started failing about fifteen years ago and I had a massive stroke in 2015. So, in short, I have had and still have a lot of health problems, but there has not been a single problem that I have had that God has not helped me through it. He didn’t leave me floundering after the doctors pronounced their words of wisdom over me about my conditions. Rather, God comforted me and kept whispering to me that He was right there with me.

How do I find God’s peace in the middle of my tumultuous life? I spend time in God’s Word, daily, consistently and faithfully. His promises are there, including the ones about peace. I say them over and over until they go from my mind to my heart. Then, I accept that God is in control and move on to the next thing that I have to do, with my hand in His and my life submitted to Him.

Could I choose to be bitter and angry? Of course, because we all have that choice. Instead, I choose to be thankful for each day God gives me and each new thing He shows me in His Word. Some people look at the silver lining and proclaim loudly that they see a cloud. Rather, I look at the silver lining and I am thankful for it, no matter what may follow.

Yield means to let go, to slow down and be aware but you don’t just stop living. I have peace because I have chosen to yield to God. My number of days is in His hands. He is the One who gives me peace and He hasn’t let me down, even when I have disappointed Him with my initial reaction of rebellious demands.

I leave you with this old hymn that means a lot to me and I hope that you will listen and enjoy the lyrics and the meaning behind the words.

Peace Like a River-Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Have a blessed and peace-filled day!

Depending on God

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13828/day/14

The verses in Habakkuk have long been a source of encouragement to me, but the author of this short devotional says it well. No matter what mountain we have to go over or emptiness we feel, we can trust God. He doesn’t change and His habit is to save people…from sin, from troubles, from whatever messes we create. Look at what He did for Noah. He took him out of the world that was about to be destroyed and protected him. That is not to say that we won’t have troubles or difficulties, often created by our own ignorance or willfulness. But it is saying that God loves us and will help us in the way that is best for us. Sometimes He changes the situation, but in my experience, most often He changes my heart so I can see things more clearly and lean into Him for help.

Psalm 34

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Video3 Comments

I have two favorite Psalms that I often read to help me get through challenges or walk through valleys. This is one of them; the other is Psalm 91. Both are filled with promises of God’s loving care, so I turn to them when I need to feel His comfort all around me.

We are not supposed to just praise God when all is going well for us. We are to praise God AT ALL TIMES! If we feel like bragging (and who doesn’t sometimes), then our boast should be in the Lord and all He has done. There is always something great that God has done or is doing for us that we can tell others about. As Christians, when we give a testimony about what God is doing or has done, we are exalting His name in the hope that others will want to know God in the same way that we know Him.

These verses don’t say that God takes away our troubles; rather, He takes away our fears. He saves us FROM our troubles, surrounding and defending us, but we still have troubles. I have found in my life that I grow more spiritually during the challenging times because that is when I press in closer to God.

The big word for me in these verses is “refuge.” Those who are safe don’t need to look for shelter, so this is telling me that troubles will happen, even to those who are “godly people.” But even when we face difficulties, God will continue to supply all that we need, physically, emotionally, mentally. Trusting in the Lord means that we don’t have to fret over our needs because we will “lack no good thing.”

How do we show that we fear the Lord? By speaking truth and love and goodness, not evil and lies. By turning away from bad choices and choosing to do good instead. It is up to us to maintain peace with others, even those with whom we disagree. Notice the word “work.” I think that means peace doesn’t come easily but it is a task that we must exert effort to keep.

I am so thankful that God is always watching over me and listening to me when I cry out to Him. I am not righteous because of what I have done, but because of His Son’s sacrifice, so I call on God frequently for help. I feel sad for those who don’t know God and who live for doing evil; they may have everything shiny here on earth but one day, they will no longer exist, with even the memory of them gone. God does not promise that we won’t have troubles, but He promises to rescue us. If we are broken-hearted and our spirits are crushed, assailed by all of the evil around us, God holds us close and rescues us from our feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

I really don’t like the reality and truth of this verse: “the righteous person faces many troubles….” But I do like the promise here, that the Lord comes to rescue us each time. He doesn’t sometimes look away and leave us to be washed away. He protects us. Verse 20 is a prophecy about Christ. If you recall, Jesus did not have His bones broken on the cross as the soldiers started to do because He had already died. I would like to claim this promise for me, too, but it specifically refers to Jesus. (I have broken my right elbow three times and my left ankle once because I fell. Fortunately, God took care of me during these incidents and I did not need surgery…just time to heal.)

I love the idea of redemption for those of us who are serving the Lord. And the part about the wicked being destroyed spurs me to tell more people about Him so that they can change their lives and become righteous. My favorite part of this section is that the psalmist returns to the theme of God’s being our refuge. We take refuge in Him because we need a shelter and He doesn’t kick us out to fend for ourselves. He provides the shelter we need for as long as we need it.

I pray that these verses have spoken to your hearts today just as they do to me each time I read them. I will leave you with a song that started me on my journey of seeking solace in this beautiful and promise-filled Psalm.

Psalm 34-The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Fixed Eyes

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song3 Comments

Have you ever watched a new infant and how intently he/she watches you? The eyes are fixed on you, following the sound of your voice as you move around them. As the child grows older, their attention may be momentarily called away to another object, something shinier or more interesting to them. But if you say the child’s name, like magic, their focus returns to you. At least that is the way I have noticed things happening until the child is about six or so and then all bets are off about whether you can get and hold their attention or not.

What is our focus when we are talking about our spiritual walk? As a new Christian, I was eager to learn all I could about God and His love for me. I didn’t want to miss a single minute of His guidance or plan for my life, so my eyes were fixed on him. Then, as a child maturing, my focus was captured by other “shiny” things, this pastor or that evangelist and a new message that they were giving. Or sometimes, my focus was captured by friends, family, trials and sicknesses. In other words, as I aged, I took my eyes off the One who created me and started paying more attention to the creation. God has reprimanded me and let me know that is the wrong path to take and I am working on forming new habits.

Another reason to come to the Lord as a child is the total trust we have in Him and the way we don’t let Him out of our sight. No matter what room I moved to when my children were young, they were right there beside me. I called them my shadows because they kept their eyes on me and when I moved, they did, too. That is the way I think we should keep our eyes on God. A steady looking at Him for our guidance and for direction for what our next steps should be. When we keep our eyes on Him, all of the problems we have seem to fade into insignificance because we know that they are temporary but He is eternal.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus-Hillsong Worship

May your day be blessed and your eyes be fixed on Him, the one who knows and loves you best.

Troubles

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture1 Comment

Notice that the Scripture does not say that the righteous will not have troubles, but that the Lord will rescue us every time we do have troubles. Every time! That is quite a promise and one of my new favorite verses.

Thankful for God’s Comforting Presence

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

As everyone knows, today is Election Day in the United States and I hope you are all doing your civic duty and voting. My husband is working at the polls as a poll watcher. He enjoys getting out into the public and talking to folks who come to vote. I already voted since I knew that he would be at the polls all day today.

I awakened this morning with a headache and I attribute it to the weather change (the high today is in the 50’s and it has been almost 80 degrees for the last three days) as well as just a little bit of stress. What could cause that stress? Well, other than the election that is so important for our nation, but that isn’t really why. Our grandson has to go see the surgeon again on November 21st about his broken clavicle. It seems to be healing, but it is doing so very slowly. We are going to Maryland for Thanksgiving so I get to see family there. Grandchildren! Our fiftieth anniversary is coming up in April and we have been working on plans for a train trip across the U.S. Christmas is coming and I need to shop. And my youngest sister in Florida has a Cat 1 hurricane headed her way. So, why the stress? All of the above but not all at the same time. Anxious thoughts seem to wait until I am having a quiet moment and then, boom! They start attacking from all sides. Yes, I have my armor on and my helmet of salvation is firmly in place. But I need more and I find it in the comfort of God’s presence. That is what I am thankful for today. When my heart is rocketing around like a space ship out of control and the pain in my head is forcefully letting me know that I need to relax, then God shows Himself strong on my behalf, speaks calming words to me through His Word and the praise music that I listen to and gradually, my focus changes from the problems and task list to the Almighty God who is worthy to be praised.

God knows just the right words to speak to my heart to keep me focused on His goodness and not on the problems. He is so merciful and gracious to me and I sincerely appreciate His always being there, right on time!

No matter what you are facing today, remember that God is in control…of elections, trips, money issues, and even hurricanes. May you have a blessed and peaceful day!

Focusing on God

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

I know that you are aware that the more problems you have in life, the more your focus is turned towards the problems. I am a walking, talking testimony that focusing on the issues does no good, but focusing on God gives new insight into the problems, whatever they may be.

This Scripture seems to promise deliverance from all trouble. But it doesn’t say that the troubles won’t come, just that God will deliver us from them. Nor does the verse explain exactly how that deliverance will come. I think that is because the Lord has already provided an answer to all of our troubles (problems) through His Son that He sent to save us from our sins. At the root of most, if not all of our troubles, lies sin. We live in a fallen world. Lots of sickness? Lots of financial troubles? Lots of…you fill in the blank. The bottom line is sin and God has already provided the answer. However, Jesus is not a magic genie that you rub the bottle and get an immediate response that solves all of your problems. The troubles we face or ones that we have to deal with just like the rest of humanity, because the world is one that has turned its back on God. But unlike the unsaved, we still have hope, the assurance that no matter what is going on in our lives, God is in control and will ultimately take care of us. He will either take us out of the situation (rare, in my experience) or will lead us through it in a way that will give glory to Him if we will only be patient and follow the path He establishes for us.

As I stated in a previous post, God has not moved. It is up to us to acknowledge His sovereignty and to wait for Him to act. We need to be mature enough to wait quietly before Him, constant in our faith and in our total assurance that He is already acting on our behalf.

No crops, no food, no animals to provide skins for clothing and meat to eat? Is the answer to throw a pity party and rail against God? Of course not! The answer comes after the word “yet.” It means “despite anything to the contrary” according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. A synonym is “nevertheless.” I think of it as “in spite of all that has come before.” So, the verse is “In spite of no buds on the fig tree, no grapes on the vines, no olives, no food and no livestock, I will, nevertheless, rejoice in the Lord.” We don’t rejoice because we have troubles. We keep our focus on God and rejoice in spite of them. When we keep our focus on God and not the problems, then we can focus on how He is is acting on our behalf, not on how everything is wrong and seems against us. God is always for us, but sometimes we focus on the problems and cannot see that God is working out a solution that makes more sense for us than anything we could come up with using our finite minds and resources.

The conclusion is that troubles will come because we live in a fallen world. But that is not the end of the story. The “rest of the story” (as a great radio personality named Paul Harvey used to say) is the most important part. God is on His throne and acting for us; our part is to wait and to rejoice. The waiting is hard and the rejoicing may be even more difficult sometimes, but the alternative is hopelessness as we focus on problems instead of on God. May we ever remember that as long as we have breath to pray and praise, we have hope! But God…

May you have a blessed day, filled with the promise of God’s solution to all of your problems.