Looking Ahead In Faith

I am often bewildered by many who speak despair and defeat. This seems to come from more Christians. Even though they are serving and praising, praying and fasting, many are living their lives as if every negative thing that happens to them is surely the end of the world. Many speak defeat not realizing that the words are thrust into the atmosphere and when done so, the enemy and his band of thieves takes them and uses it against them. The spirit of lack and despair is prevalent in today’s society and if not checked, will make for continued and uncomfortable living.  Is this you?

As a young teenage mother, I often felt defeated not knowing which way is up, not knowing what my future would hold and how in the world was I going to raise my now 35 year old son. Then, here comes my now 32 year old son by the age of 21.  I was on welfare living in my mother’s apartment after she passed away in 1979 right before my oldest son was born in 1980. This in and of itself was a very hard time for me as a young 16 year old mother. But God.

God saw fit to cover me and keep me. I was aware of God and His word so I knew to pray, I knew to have faith and to trust Him.  Hebrews 11:1-3 says, Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

I kept that faith. Fast forward to today to the age of 53, the sons are now grown and with their own children, a marriage ended, and countless relationships were a bust. I have attended college, worked many jobs, experienced many setbacks and health issues, and for all of it I am so thankful that I serve a God of many chances and many blessings.  Nothing and no one in our lives are permanent. We will face trials every day. We will falter in our faith, we will become discouraged and even angry, but know you have the choice to go through each experience with joy and gladness. We have the choice to either rise up or lay down. We have the choice to smile and look in the mirror and say, this too shall pass.  I encourage you to rise up.  You will look back on this day and say to yourself, WOW, I was frantic for nothing, look at me now. You will be able to share your testimony in its time with someone who is in the place you have risen from and encourage them.

I encourage you to really know God and His word by eating on the mana that will fill you up. This mana will never stop flowing. This mana is life sustaining. This mana is God’s manual for our lives. We cannot know what God has to say if we are not reading His love letters to us and what beautiful love it is to know that He will grant us the desires of our hearts if we believe and have faith. Get centered in God’s word and apply it to your life. Start and end each day in prayer, praise and thanksgiving. Seek out someone that you can bless with a visit, a phone call, even a greeting card or flowers. I find that focusing on another helps me to be reminded that it is not always about me. It’s about the ever loving and present help of Jesus.

Be encouraged and blessed