Trust

   “Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to his love, and the future to his providence.”  St. Augustine

   There are times when trust in God seems difficult.  Life isn’t always easy, there are hard times; some extremely hard.  When those times come we sometimes look to God and ask “Why?”.  We don’t understand why such a thing has happened to us and it can rock our faith in God and His love for us.

   These difficult times, however, are when we need to turn to God in trust even more.  Though we don’t understand why, for our own well-being both physically and spiritually, we need to trust that God’s plan is the right plan.  We need His comfort and mercy when our heart is broken and we are in deep sorrow.  We need His strength to carry us through the heartache.  Without God’s help we can become lost in our sorrow.

   Look to God with hope and trust that His way is best.  We will never fully understand God’s plan in this world, but we can trust that He has a plan for us that leads to joy and happiness.  Along the way we may have to suffer pain and difficulty, but so did our Lord Jesus Christ.  He suffered greatly for us because of His great love.  When we are suffering He will come to us and comfort us in our despair.

   Regardless of what has happened trust in His mercy.  He is an all-merciful and loving God.  In the trials of each day trust in His love, knowing that He will strengthen us and comfort us.  Know that the future is in His hands.  Nothing can separate us from His love.  Trust in Him always and He will lead us home.

Lord, trust can be hard at times.

Life brings heartache and sorrow.

Help us to always trust in You.

Lead us through this life to eternal life with You.

Amen

Thanks to God

   When we awake in the morning there are a couple of things we need to do.  Even before getting out of bed we need take the time to thank God for protecting us through the night.  We also need to offer the new day that He has given us back to Him; offering our work, our joys and our sufferings to Him.  Promising to do our best to live this new day in His will regardless of where it leads.

   As we go through the day we need to take the time to continue our conversation with God.  Praise Him for all He does for us and ask Him to continue to bless us and our loved ones.  Whatever the day entails offer it to Him.  If at work offer your task to Him and do it to the best of your ability as a gift of thanksgiving to God.  If at home lovingly offer Him your chores and activities.  If you have children bless Him for the gift of their life and His trust in you to cherish and protect that life.  Whatever the day brings, offer it to God.

   Look for the blessings of God in all you do.  The fact that we are alive is a gift and blessing.  We see the glory of God in the sunrise and sunset.  The smile and laughter of a child can bring a smile to us when we are down or feeling sorry for ourselves.  There are so many things we take for granted for which we owe thanks and praise to God.  Sadly, we usually just accept them and expect they will continue.

   Take the time this day to turn to God.  Thank Him for all He does; praise Him for His glory.  Thank our Lord Jesus Christ for paying the price for our sins, reopening the way to heaven for those who believe.  Throughout the day take a moment and turn to God in thanks and recognition for the many blessings in your life.

Father help us to recognize all You do.

Help us to see our many blessings.

Open our heart to your presence in our life.

May we praise you always.

Amen

The Love of God

   “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38 – 39)

   Paul’s assurance in his letter to the romans is a great source of comfort to all Christians.  He very clearly tells us that there is nothing that can take God’s love from us.  No matter what happens in our lives, whether we are sinners or saints, God still loves us.  If sinners, He waits with open arms to receive us when we reach out to Him in sorrow for our sins.  If saints, He strengthens us to remain in His company regardless of the temptations and trials of this world.

   Since most of us are not saints, we are blessed by the assurance that we can become saints through the love of God.  If we offer ourselves to Him in complete surrender to His will, He will make saints of us.  He will send the Holy Spirit to fill us, giving us guidance and strength in our efforts.

   Even when we falter and sin, God’s love remains.  Our sins will be forgiven through confession and repentance of our sins.  In repenting of our sins we not only express our sorrow for having sinned, but also promise to make amends in our life and the way we live it.  We renew our determination to live according to God’s plan regardless of where that plan may lead.

   No matter what we do, we can’t make God love us less than He does.  No matter what we do, we can’t make Him love us more than He does.  His love is complete and everlasting.  He sent His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins.  In His love for us He allowed His Son to be sacrificed on our behalf.

Father, Your love is eternal.

You love us completely and forever.

Help us to recognize that love.

Living our lives honoring Your love for us.

Amen

The Peace of Jesus

    “The peace of Jesus is a gift.  We cannot obtain it through human means.  The peace of Jesus is something else:  the peace of Jesus teaches us to endure.  To endure is to carry life on our shoulders, our difficulties, our work, everything, and to have the courage to go forward.” (Pope Francis)

   If we are to know the peace of Jesus we must first have some understanding of the peace He is offering us.  It is not the same as the peace the world offers.  The peace of the world is short-lived and based on human desires.  The peace Jesus offers is one that will carry us through our life, the good times and the bad.  His peace will comfort us in sorrow, elate us in joy, and bring us to our Father in heaven.

   The peace of Jesus is one of faith.  It is one of trust in our Savior.  This peace can’t be taken from us though we can forfeit it by turning from God.  Regardless the trials we may face or the crosses we may be called to bear Jesus will bring peace to our life.  But it is up to us to accept it.  We must have faith in His word and trust that He will see us through any hardship we may encounter.  We must trust that He has won the war even though we may still have battles to face in this life.

   When life seems unbearable that is when we must turn to Jesus for His peace.  When we feel that we can’t go on, He will strengthen us and carry us through our despair.  The peace of Jesus is our lifeboat in the stormy seas of this world.

   “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give it to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14: 27)

God’s Answers

  “Lord, Your best servants are those who wish to shape their life on Your answers rather than shape Your answers on their wishes.”  (St. Augustine, Confessions 10, 26)

   Why do we think God should answer our prayers and wishes in the way we desire?  We have no concept of God’s plan, yet we expect it to bend to our will.  I hear people complain that their prayers aren't answered.  I suspect the problem is not that God did not answer but they did not get the answer they wished for.

   In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed to the Father that the cup of His suffering be taken from Him, but only if it were the will of the Father.  That is the attitude we must also take in our prayers.  It is right and proper to pray that pain and sorrow be relieved, yet it is not always granted.  God’s will is a mystery and we can never fully grasp His purpose, especially when it is so different from what we desire.  We expect an answer to our prayer that conforms to our will, not necessarily His.  We must pray that all things be according to His will even when that means we may have to suffer for a time.

   Faith says that regardless of our troubles and woes in this world we are to be received into the kingdom of God.  If we fully trust in God and His will we can realize this hope of eternal happiness.  Though we may have pain and sorrow in this world a better world awaits.  We must look to that promise and accept the answer God gives, giving Him all praise and glory.  Even when that answer is not the one we would want.

Father, Your will is so far beyond our understanding.

Help us accept Your plan in our lives.

Give us the strength and faith to always trust in You.

Accepting Your answer to our prayers.

Amen

The Lord is My Help

   “I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  (Psalm 121: 1 – 2)

   We were created to be with the Lord.  Our lives were to be intertwined with His, we were to be His family.  Original sin ended that relationship.  Though sin broke our family relationship with God it did not stop His love for us or His willingness to help us when we call on Him.

   There are times when life may be difficult for us.  Things happen that we don’t understand.  Evil seems to permeate our society and the world at large and there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do to stop it.  Satan would love for us to just give up and give in to the evil.  Sometimes it seems fighting it is useless and giving in would be so easy.

   These are the times when we must look to the Lord, seeking His help and strength.  When we look at the history of the world, we see that it’s really no more evil today than it has been in the past.  It may seem to be simply because we are experiencing it rather that just looking at as a part of history.  There have always been those few who stood for the Lord and kept faith in Him; who would give their life rather than abandon God.  They knew, as we should, that He will never abandon us.  We may suffer persecution, rejection and even martyrdom but God is always there for us.

   In times of difficulty, pain and sorrow lift up your eyes to the Lord.   He is there to help us, to bring us through the trials and tribulations.  To bring us to His kingdom.

   “I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight.  Let my soul live, that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.” (Psalm 121: 173 – 174)

I turn to You for help Lord.

In times of trouble You comfort me.

Your love endures forever.

I will praise You eternally.

Amen

 

Have Faith in God

   “I will sing of your mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.  For your merciful love was established forever, your faithfulness is firm as the heavens.” (Psalm 89: 1 – 2)

   In any relationship there will be times of difficulty.  Friends quarrel, husbands and wives sometimes don’t agree.  A strong relationship will overcome these trials.  If the bonds are built on mutual respect and love for one another, they will withstand the challenges that may arise.

   Our relationship with the Lord is no different.  At times it can be strained, even broken.  Perhaps we’ve been succumbing to the temptations of Satan and believe God should have protected us.  Maybe we suffered a loss and can’t understand why God should have let it happen.  Whatever the cause, there may be cracks forming in what should be an unbreakable pact between us and God.

   We suffer because we are in the world.  The way of the flesh rules this world in many ways.  Greed, pride, envy all play into our suffering.  We suffer because we seek the wrong things.  We seek earthly pleasure and happiness and when it’s not given us we rebel; we look for someone to blame.  Many times we want blame God for our despair and unhappiness.

   If faith teaches us anything it is that God’s desire for us is happiness and joy.  His love is eternal and His mercy unlimited.  Our humanity really can’t grasp that God’s plan may not be exactly what we would wish for ourselves.  We can’t understand the ways of the Lord.

   In faith we need to turn to the Lord and acknowledge our unhappiness and despair, asking for His strength and comfort.  These times test our faith.  It is at times like this that we should seek to increase our faith by prayer and trust in the Lord.  He is faithful from age to age; He is there when we turn to Him.

Lord, strengthen us in hard times.

Increase our faith and trust in You.

We give You all glory and praise.

Amen

His Flock

   “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10: 27 – 29)

   We are the flock of the Lord.  We are His sheep and He is our shepherd.  We belong to Him and no one can take us from Him.  There is tremendous comfort in this passage.  The love He has for us is incredible, nothing can take that love from us or force us to leave Him.

   Yet we see those who walk away; who turn from God.  In some instances people who have led a life of faith in the spirit but have lost that faith and reject all that God has to offer.  Sometimes they become discouraged because certain prayers haven’t been answered.  Maybe they have suffered a tremendous loss and blame God.  There may be any number of reasons, but none are sufficient to turn from our Lord.

   We hear people blame Satan for their sins, yet we must cooperate with Satan if we are to sin.  He can’t force us into evil unless we make the choice to join him in sin.  He can tempt, he can lie, he can be very persuasive.  But He can’t take us from the Father.  Only we can make the decision to follow the evil one rather than God.

   No one can snatch us from the Father’s hand.  It can only be done through our own free will; a decision made by us to reject God.  We can’t blame Satan, circumstances and certainly not God.  If we choose to turn from Him and give up eternal life in heaven we have no one to blame but ourselves.  Incredibly, even then He still loves us and will rejoice upon our return.

Lord, so many turn from You.

Reject Your love and salvation.

I pray that they will see the way to return.

Come home to You and Your welcoming arms.

Amen

Strength in Weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12: 9)

   In my weakness is my strength.  I’ve come to understand that the powers of the world are far stronger than I can overcome.  Satan’s power and temptations are more than I can resist.  Only through God’s strength can I survive.  I am weak but in my weakness God’s strength will overcome any trial I may face.

   It’s important that I understand my inability to face everything life throws at me.  I need to know that there is a power on which I can draw that will overcome all.  When I finally accept this I can more readily turn to God for the help I need.  His strength is most evident when I am at a loss; in a dilemma for which I have no solution.  That is when I fully understand my inadequacy and turn to the Lord.

It’s difficult for humans to acknowledge weakness.  Pride tells us we should be able to whatever needs to be done without external help.  We are to stand on our own two feet.  The problem is that there will come a time when our feet will be swept out from under us.  We will be emotionally and spiritually crippled by events over which we have no control.  The sooner we recognize our weakness, the sooner we will turn to God for the strength He promises to provide.

   To accept weakness and realize our helplessness is difficult at best.  It goes against everything we are taught.  Sadly much of what we are taught is influenced by Satan.  Just as he convinced our first parents that they could become like Gods he will tempt us to believe that we don’t need God’s strength and help in life.  Just as he lied to our ancestors he continues to lie to us.

   “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12: 9)

Lord, come to me in my weakness.

Give me Your strength.

Help me always turn to You and Your mercy.

Amen

Light and Darkness

   “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)

   Jesus is the Light of the world.  In Him there is no darkness and the darkness is overcome by faith in Him.  Darkness is not something we can avoid in our life.  We are a sinful people and those sins drag us into the darkness.  Until we recognize our failings and turn to God for forgiveness the darkness will continue and may grow even darker.  Jesus died in order to offer forgiveness for our sins.  Through that forgiveness we can be cleansed of our sins and return to the light of God.

   But what of the darkness that comes regardless of how we live our life.  Even the most faithful Christians will be faced with darkness in their lives.  That is when our faith is tested; when we feel we’ve been treated unfairly and suffer through no fault of our own.  Yet that is also the time when we need to turn to God the most.

   Satan is the master of darkness and he will bring his gloom to our lives at every opportunity.  When we suffer a tremendous loss, he will tempt us by asking how a loving God could cause His follower to suffer so greatly.  The book of Job is filled with many lessons to be learned by those who feel they are suffering without cause.  “Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshipped.  And he said, ‘Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’”  (Job 1: 20 – 21).

   Even in the darkness we must turn to God, giving Him praise.  We must pray for the light to return.  Regardless the trial He has given us we must have faith that His will is always in our best interest.  As hard as that can be to accept, it is the attitude we need.  The light will return; our faith tells us so.  Though it may seem we are in the depth of the night, the light of dawn awaits us.

   “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1: 5)

Lord, even in the darkness You are there.

Help me see the light.

Help me trust in You.

Let my heart be filled with Your blessed light.

Amen

God’s Protection

   “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.  Let me dwell in your tent forever!” (Psalm 61: 1 – 4)

   To dwell in the tent of the Lord is my greatest desire.  No where else is peace, love, and security to be found.  The world is the domain of Satan and his demon army.  Only through the protection of our Lord can we attain the blessed happiness that is ours if we follow His will for us.

   The world seems incapable of recognizing the ills it suffers.  Wars continue, hatred continues, evil continues.  Satan accosts us from all sides each day in his efforts to turn us from the Lord.  The strength to resist must come from God; we can’t possibly defeat the evil one without His help.

   Even Christ was tempted by Satan.  Imagine the audacity of trying to turn the Son of God from the will of the Father.  Sadly, we are much easier targets.  When life gives us troubles and sorrows we sometimes have difficulty turning to God; we simply can’t accept they He, in His mercy, would allow such a thing to happen.  In our arrogance we question His will and His plan for us.

   Our sorrow and pain sometimes make it difficult to accept God’s will and His plan for us.  We don’t understand; we can’t understand.  We must simply have faith in Him and His will, though we are hurt and in despair.  In the end He will heal us.  He will comfort and console us.  Regardless of the cross we bear, He will be there to help us carry it.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside the still waters; He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23: 1 – 3)

Amen Lord, restore my soul.

Marks of A Christian

   “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12: 12)

   In his letter to the Romans Paul writes about the marks of the true Christian.  The passage above is one of those marks.  Our life as Christians should be filled with the marks of a true Christian.  If they are others will see our faith and perhaps be led to faith themselves.  A priest once said, “I’d rather see a homily than hear one.”  We can be that homily if we live our lives as Christians.  The example we set can be a beautiful means of evangelization.

   We have the hope of salvation and eternal life through the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross.  He paid the debt we are unable to pay.  He took our sins upon Himself and sacrificed His own life in order to open the door to heaven for those who believe.  We must rejoice in this promise and this hope.

   There will be times of tribulation, pain and suffering.  This is part of being a Christian.  Our Lord was not spared these things.  He was patient in His tribulations, and He overcame them.  He brought life from death and offered life to us as well.  Regardless of the hardship we experience we are to be patient, waiting for the Lord to make all things new again.  This is His promise and He keeps His promises.

   Prayer isn’t something we something we do; it is something we live.  In everything we do, we can be in prayer.  Offering our day and everything in it to the Lord in praise and thanksgiving makes all things a form of prayer.  It isn’t necessary to be on one’s knees all day to pray always.  It’s simply necessary to do all things for the greater glory of God, offering all glory, praise and thanksgiving to Him.

   We must live the marks of a true Christian.  Christianity isn’t just a faith or religion; it is a way of life.  Until we make it the totality of our life we still have work to do.  Turn to Him in all things and He will be with us in all we do.

Father make my life one of prayer.

Make of me a saint, one of Your servants.

Let my life reflect true Christianity.

Amen

Are You There Lord?

   Of course the answer to the question is “Yes”.  And yet it seems He is so distant at times.  Times when I need His peace and consolation.  Times when I need His comfort in my sorrow.

   I know that my Lord is there each second of each day, but sometimes I struggle to find Him.  At these times I feel so alone though I know I am never alone.  Is it a test of faith?  Perhaps.  It is up to me to pass the test if so; to believe that He is with me even when I feel alone.  It may be hard, but I trust in Him and all I’ve come to know of Him.  It is not possible that He would leave me alone.  He is there.

   When I feel the loneliest is when I must pray the most.  Quiet my mind, turn off the television and silence the phone.  Turn my mind away from the world and its troubles and contemplate the unbelievable love God has for me and for each of His children.

   It is during the lonely times when I feel that God is distant that my faith can grow and mature.  My heart knows and my soul confirms that He is always there and will never leave me alone.  His love is infinite, His mercy boundless.

   So I will turn to Him in the difficult times; the times I feel most alone.  I will continue to seek Him in faith and trust.  I will place my trust in the Lord and submit myself to His will.

Lord, help me to always trust in You.

Never let me question Your love.

You are always with me.

To lead me through the night.

Amen

One Day at a Time

   “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matt 6:34)

   I’ve read the passage above many times and always thought it to be wise advice.  However, I don’t think I’ve ever truly practiced what it is advising.  It’s hard to trust the future to God and His plan rather than impose our own will.  If we are to truly not worry about tomorrow that is what we must do.

   We are conditioned to be concerned about the future.  Those who live for today are called foolish for not planning for tomorrow and the day after and the day after that.  Yet, we have no certainty of tomorrow, or even the next minute.  If it is God’s will to call us from this world it will be done and all our plans are for nothing.

   I understand that we must look to the future and plan but so many times we let the worries of tomorrow over-ride and block out the beauty and blessings of this day.  We spend the day focused on what will come tomorrow rather than what is ours today.  We miss the beauty of this day worrying about the clouds of tomorrow.

   I’ve found that there are circumstances that make Jesus’ advice more profound and necessary.  Times when simply getting through this day is not a certainty.  Days when all I can do is focus on today and go to God for comfort and peace.  If tomorrow comes I will focus on getting through that day when it comes.  Today truly has trouble enough.

   I am comforted because I know that He is always there beside me.  He will help me through the difficult days and bring me to His peace.  God is my stronghold.  He is my fortress.  In Him I find safety, love and mercy.

Father, even in the darkest times You are there.

In my trials You bring peace and calm.

Be with me this day and every day.

I turn to You, confident in Your love and mercy.

Amen

My Rock and My Salvation

   “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 62: 1 – 2)

   No matter what happens in life there is one to whom we can always go for strength and comfort.  One who will ease our pain and help us in our despair.  We can trust in God, in His will and His love to see us through our suffering.  If we seek God, he will carry us through any trial or ordeal we may be facing.

   I’ve often thought of those who do not know God and have no relationship with Him.  I wonder where they go for strength and comfort when needed.  Family and friends can be a source of help and strength, but they can’t provide the mercy and love God is waiting to give if we will only accept Him.  Some turn to the bottle, some to drugs.  Perhaps some simply can’t find peace and comfort and live in despair or worse.  I pray for them that they might find God and open their hearts to Him.

   For me, God is where I go.  I go to Him in thanksgiving for the good times and for help in times of trouble.  He is always there. He is always waiting to provide the strength and help I need to see me through this day.

   I live one day at a time depending on God’s help.  From morning until night I rely on Him and He provides.  Once this day is done I praise Him for His mercy and love and ask that He be there to help me through tomorrow.

   Sometimes it’s not day by day but hour by hour.  Still my Lord is there.  His constancy and His love is not bound by time, it is eternal.  Each second, minute, hour and day He is there for me.

   Without God in my life I fear what would become of me.  He is my strength, He is my comfort.  He is the assurance that all will be well even though I may not understand.  I will serve Him and give Him all praise and glory.

Father, Your love is my strength.

In good times and bad You are there for me.

I turn to you in sorrow and you comfort me.

I will forever give You all glory and praise.

Amen

The Silence of God

   “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lords, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went on and stood at the entrance of the cave.” (1 Kings 19: 11 – 13)

   We cry out to God. He is silent.  Rarely does God speak; few have heard His voice.  The voice of God is within us.  We need the silence and quiet to hear the small, still voice of our Lord.

   Though He is silent He still speaks to us.  In the depth our heart and soul He communes with us.  But only if we seek Him.

   God does not intrude.  He does not force Himself upon us.  He woos us with His love and mercy and patiently waits for us to open ourselves to Him.  We must shut out the world and come within ourselves where He resides.  Then, and only then, can we truly experience the voice of God.

   In our lives there will be times of trouble and pain.  Such is the life of a Christian: there will be crosses to bear.  If our heart and soul rests in God we can bear those difficult times, trusting in the ultimate goodness of God.

   With a heart filled with God and a soul filled by the Holy Spirit there is no mountain so high that we can’t climb it.  There is no cross too heavy for us to bear.

   Amen, Lord, fill me with your love and spirit.  In the silence, speak to me and make me holy, as You are Holy.

An Act of Faith

   “The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort.” (St. Padre Pio)

   Faith is the foundation of Christianity.  Whether in good times or in bad, faith will see us through.  The difficulty is maintaining that faith through the hard times.

   When things are going well it’s quite easy to speak of our faith.  We happily proclaim that we have faith in our Lord and His plan for us.  However, when tragedy strikes that faith can be shaken.  When God’s will and His plan for us doesn’t conform with what we feel it should we may feel disappointed or even angry.  After all, if God is loving and merciful, why should those who trust in Him suffer such pain.

   When we are in the darkness is the most important time to have faith.  It may be hard to maintain our faith; we may want to just give up and drown in our sorrow.  But God is there for us.  If we turn to Him in faith and trust in Him, He will see us through any hardship. He will help us carry any cross.

   Many of the saints speak of times of darkness.  Times when they couldn’t seem to find God in their lives.  Yet, they also tell us that these are the times when faith is most important.  These are the times when our faith can grow stronger and deepen.

   We were never promised that everything would go the way we want it to.  In fact, scripture tells us that we are to expect trial and suffering if we are to follow Christ.  Just as He suffered for us, there will be suffering in our life.  Our faith and His love will carry us through the darkness; He will lead us back to the light.

Lord, sometimes our faith is tested.

We find it hard to trust in you.

When our world is in turmoil we need You most.

Strengthen our faith, help us through the darkness.

Amen

Help in Times of Trouble

   “I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34: 1)

   I find strength and solace in the Psalms.  In the psalms there are many blessings to be found, much comfort and strength.  Even when deeply troubled the psalms can bring comfort.

   “I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34: 4).  He is there for me whenever I turn to Him.  He relieves my fears and sorrows.  He gives me comfort.

   “O taste and see that the Lord is good!  Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34: 8).  Faith teaches us that the Lord is good in all things.  He brought salvation from the crucifixion of His Son.  From any evil He can bring good, though we may not understand.  The ways of the Lord are not our ways but, in faith, we must trust in Him.

   Though we may experience times of pain and sorrow in our lives God will always be there to sustain us and to carry us through the bad times.  It is Satan who desires that we wallow in our grief and pain.  He is the one who would turn our sorrow into rejection of our Lord.  We must push back; we must refuse Satan a victory in our life.

   I can only trust in my God.  Without that trust and faith I have nothing to cling to.  I know that He is there, watching over me.  He offers His love and peace.  Only through Him can I ever find true peace in this world.  

   And so I will continue to bless Him and thank Him for the many blessings He has given me.  Even in times of trouble, sorrow and pain.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34: 18)