“The Eternal God is your shelter; He holds you up in His everlasting arms.”
Deuteronomy 33:27a (VOICE)
Just Be Held ~ A beautiful message to remind us that God will never let go, no matter what.
“Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place. Not a tear is wasted, in time you’ll understand. He’s painting beauty from the ashes; Your life is in HIS hands.” ~ Just be held. (Casting Crowns)
“But by the Grace of God,
I am what I am…”
1 Corinthians 15:10
I am…
I keep a list in my journal which I have entitled “I am…” I add to the list as I read God’s word and come across verses that remind me of who “I am” as a child of God. Sometimes during my quiet time, especially when I am feeling less than significant, I turn to the list and read aloud, taking time to grasp the meaning of each phrase as it pertains to my relationship with my Heavenly Father. No circumstance will ever change the way He feels about me. By reminding myself of who I am in Christ, I am encouraged, inspired and energized to begin my day living out the divine purpose for which I was created.
…and so are YOU!
The beauty of the list is that it is not unique to me. Anyone who is a child of God is included in these promises. He cares about EACH of His children the same way. Below are a few items on the list. Read them out loud to yourself as His child, taking time to absorb the significance of each phrase. Before you read each phrase, repeat the words, “I am…” to personalize them to your relationship with your Heavenly Father. These promises capture a glimpse of the essence of how God feels about you, and they are all found in His word.
“I am…”
“See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;” Isaiah 49:16
“What a wonderful God we have—He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy,and the One who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.”
2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4 (TLB)
God is the Father of Compassion and the God of all Comfort. When we go through trials and heartache, He comforts and strengthens us. But that’s not where it ends.
Like one-the-job-training, when we experience difficult circumstances, we become uniquely equipped to help others who might be experiencing similar hardships. While some might see failure and loss, God sees divine qualifications to be used mightily for blessing others. Our painful struggles give us a vocabulary to encourage and support other people who are going through the same things, and our despair allows us to empathize with their difficulties. When you view life’s anguish through God’s perspective, your miseries can be turned into your ministry.
Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud today!
“Think of the kindness you wish others would show you; do the same for them.”
Luke 6:31 (VOICE)
“We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.” Romans 8:28 (VOICE)
What an amazing vision of your future ~ the overwhelming hardships you have experienced could very well be preparing you for your “extraordinary destiny!” God promises His children that He can use everything to work toward something good and beautiful if we live according to His plan ~ Yes, He can even use the bad, ugly, painful, and heartbreaking things that happen to us.
When you completely trust God… and not in life’s treasures…you allow the Master Craftsman to use each event in your life to create a glorious masterpiece. Like threads in a tapestry, He can weave your defeats, your struggles, your heartache, your pain, your loss, your trials, your rejection, and even your shameful mistakes into a rich, beautiful, one-of-a-kind design.
No one else has walked in your shoes. Your experiences are completely unique to you. Will you accept God’s invitation to launch into your extraordinary destiny by allowing Him to orchestrate something good and beautiful from your personal life experiences?
If you have ever driven through a dense fog, you know how difficult it is to navigate safely through the dangerous conditions, especially if you are unfamiliar with the road. Your visibility is limited, and you can’t see what hazards lie ahead.
Sometimes your journey through life can also feel like you are passing through a thick cloud bank of uncertainty. You can’t see what lies ahead, and you feel scared and unsure of which direction you should head. But the Author of Life sees your future clearly. After all, He wrote your story, and He knows the beginning, the middle and the end. If you place your faith in Him and allow His divine guidance to be your radar, you can be certain that He will chart the BEST path for your life. Trust Him for all the things your human eyes cannot see.
Your ears will hear sweet words behind you: “Go this way. There is your path; this is how you should go” whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left. Isaiah 30:21 (VOICE)
You are my hiding place from every storm of life;
You even keep me from getting into trouble!
You surround me with songs of victory.
Psalm 32:7 (TLB)
Are you weathering a life storm right now? Do you feel that unrelenting difficulties are battering your daily activities, knocking you off course? Has an area of extreme turbulence settled in over your home? Are fierce waves of heartache rolling incessantly?
As a child of God, His protection of you is limitless and takes many forms. During stormy periods in life, He is your hiding place…your storm shelter. He is a refuge that surrounds you and protects you while the crisis rages on around you. He’s the place you run to until the danger has passed over, and He’s there to calm and comfort you, hiding you in the safety of His presence…surrounding you with songs of victory. So if you need protection from a life storm, run to the loving arms of your Heavenly Father. Imagine Him holding you securely, shielding you from harm, and singing songs to calm your anxieties and quiet your fears until the tempestuous difficulties are over. He is your hiding place from every storm of life!
How wonderful are the good things
Imagine this scene: “He bends down and listens”…the Creator of the Universe bends down from heaven to hear the prayer you whisper from your lips…the King of Glory stoops down from His throne to incline His ear to your request…your loving Heavenly Father leans down close enough to listen to the words of His precious child….
This awe-inspiring scene is actually our reality. The blessed truth is that your prayer will always reach God’s ear. He knows your unique voice, and He hears each plea, request, and petition. He listens carefully to each prayer of adoration, thanks and supplication. Not only does He hear your prayers, but He also answers them. He doesn’t always answer them exactly how we think they should be answered, but He answers them according to His best for you.
If you are lonely, God is near. If you are discouraged, God is listening. If you are worried, God is attentive to your cares. If you are afraid, God hears your pleas for help. If you are heartbroken, God is leaning close enough to hear your cries.
“I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them…” Because of this amazing truth, “I will pray as long as I breathe!”
everyday encouragement 
