In a world of instant gratification, we need to realize that our Christian walk is a process of growing in our relationship with Jesus. People today want things and they want them now! It’s a rare day when we see God work that way. He is constantly purifying and refining us for what lies ahead. In the “twists and turns” of the journey we can often become discouraged and lose sight of the goal…. Heaven. Don’t get discouraged at what seems a lack of progress. Sometime it can seem like we’re at a “stand still” in life, however, God is always working. Life is never a “straight shot”. The journey has many mountains of struggling but with spectacular “views” once you get through the struggles. It is through “mountains of struggle and hardship” that make us stronger and give us endurance. Life doesn’t always seem logical to us but God sees the BIG picture. We are called to trust Him even when we don’t understand. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (NKJV) Stay the course!
There have been so many times in my life when I’ve said, “Lord I don’t see how this is going to work out.” There have been seasons when it seemed like “hurricane season of life”: one storm after another. When you have a firm foundation in Jesus, you just fix your eyes on Him and push through in His strength. Hindsight is an incredible thing. Looking forward we are often like, “How in the world are we going to get through this”. Meanwhile, Jesus is with you every step of the way. When you get through the hard season of trials and look back, you realize God carried you through it. You came through stronger with a faith rooted in God’s promises. You came through with perseverance and resilience you would never have without the struggles. Fix your eyes on Jesus and stay the course! You’re going to make it.
Another important thing to remember as we journey along in life, we must guard our hearts. What you allow into your life through your thoughts, influences, music, what you watch on tv, podcasts, politics, people, etc, spills over into your actions and how you deal with things. Be careful what you allow inside your heart. We can’t pour clean water from a dirty well. You’ve got to be mindful of the “well” that is your heart. Think about this. What shapes you from the inside out? Guarding our hearts isn’t about isolating yourself from the world, but it is about what you allow to mold your thoughts and words. The Bible tells us, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. See Luke 6:45. Think about your speech, the things that come out of your mouth. All those words are a reflection of what’s inside. That’s why it’s so important that we guard our hearts. This next verse is pretty weighty. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) In my opinion, that’s heavy! We definitely need God’s direction to stay the course.
I’m going to stop here. I’ve been thinking about this over the last two weeks. Sometimes a blog topic “brews” for a bit in my heart before I type it out. This was one of those times. With it being November 1, we are beginning what seems to be the “thankful month” with the Thanksgiving holiday. People seem to do more reflecting this month for some reason. Although for me, thankfulness is a way of life. In the good times and bad times, I thank God because He is always faithful. Journey on, stay the course with gratitude! Remember, the best is yet to come! You are strong!! You are loved!!! Have an awesome week!
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