Tag Archives: Encouragement

Feb19

Lessons from Unanswered Questions

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“…As you know we consider blessed those who have persevered.

You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen

What the Lord finally brought about.”

James 5: 10, 11 (NIV 2005)

We live in an age of “instant” everything. With microwaves and drive-through windows, we can place a meal on our tables within minutes. Cable news networks and satellites allow us to view up-to-the-minute reports on stories happening around the world. Laptops and smartphones allow us to have the internet at our fingertips almost anywhere we travel, so the answers to most questions can be found with a quick query of our favorite search engine. GPS devices allow us to find directions instantaneously. Emails and Texts allow us send messages instantly. Weather conditions can be determined by a quick search of a “Weather Radar Ap.” Medicine provides prompt relief to pain, indigestion, cold symptoms, fever, sleeplessness, etc… Even common medical problems can sometimes be “diagnosed” quickly by entering symptoms into web based medical sites.

Because of all these technetronic advances, we have become conditioned to receiving almost anything we need in an instant. As a result, we have also lost the ability to wait. Above all else, we expect an immediate cure or solution for anything that causes us pain or discomfort ~ from toothaches to heartbreaks and everything in between. However, there are some things in life that don’t have instant answers. Despite all the tremendous advances in science, technology and medicine, we still live in a world where many people suffer.

Job was a wealthy landowner and successful businessman who had a wonderful family and home. He was a man of faith and was known for his generosity and care for others. The Bible describes him as “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” He was living a very happy and fulfilling life when tragedy struck. In an instant, his ten children were swept away by a windstorm, in an instant his land, crops, livestock and servants were destroyed by raiding bandits and a lightning storm, and in an instant he lost everything he had through no fault of his own. To make matters even worse, Job was struck with painful sores all over his body.

Job experienced both extreme physical pain and gut-wrenching grief over the loss of his family and possessions. He was at a crossroads in his walk of faith. He could blame God, curse Him and give up, or he could choose to trust God for strength to carry on. Job was forced to return to the basics of his faith in God. Throughout his story a common theme emerges: Job acknowledged the sovereign authority of God, but he wanted to understand the why behind his suffering. For a period of time, he allowed his desire to understand why he was suffering to overwhelm him and make him question God. 

Job didn’t expect an instant cure for his pain and suffering, but he did become frustrated over not knowing why he was suffering, expecially when he was sure he had done nothing to deserve this sort of punishment.  He wanted to know the answer to the age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Even though God didn’t answer his question instantly, Job did perservere in his faith.  When God, who knows everything, finally spoke to Job, He did not provide him with the answer.  Instead He pointed out an important lesson:  It is better to know our Heavenly Father than to know the answers to all our questions.

 

Sometimes suffering is shaping us for service to others. Often we face consequences of bad decisions, and we suffer through correction or discipline. And, yes, there are times when we won’t know why we are suffering.  We may never know why bad things happen to good people or why innocent children have to suffer, but no matter what the reason for our pain, instead of getting caught up in wanting an instant answer to the question of “why” we are suffering, we should respond by digging our roots deeper into God. By doing so, we can weather any type of storm we may face. God is not caught off guard by any of our problems, and He can help us withstand any trial we face in life.

 Trust in God and not in your circumstances and remember the important lesson from Job’s life:  Knowing God is superior to knowing all the answers.

 

Feb16

Wonderful Works

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As you do not know the path of the wind

Or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,

So you cannot understand the work of God,

The Maker of all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

 

Dear Lord,

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Ps 139: 14 – 16) Amen.

Trust your Creator with all the intricate details of your life.
He knows each chapter in the book of your life, and He knows the purpose for which he made you. You are never hidden from Him…He’s with you every step of the way.

Feb15

How to Be Profitable and Productive in Life

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I, Wisdom, will make

the hours of your day more profitable

and the years of your life more fruitful.

Proverbs 9:11

 

When I was growing up, I had a pet hamster named “Charlie Brown.” I loved to watch him run on his treadmill. The big circular wheel would spin round and round as he ran, allowing him to “exercise,” but he remained in the exact same place.

Lately I feel like I’m on a giant hamster wheel in life. I run and run throughout my days, but I never seem to get anywhere or accomplish what is important. These are the “sights” I see as I’m running along on my treadmill: Wake up, Do laundry, Cook, Clean, Work, Chauffer, Appointments, Practices, Cook, Go to Bed…Repeat. At the end of the day, I sometimes wonder if I ever came up for air.

I want my days to have purpose, and I want my activities to be aligned with what God wants me to achieve in life. Perhaps these are the very activities He wants me to be doing at this time, but I desire to make the minutes of each day count for eternity. It is easy to slip into auto-pilot and thoughtlessly speed through the days.

I have found that if I take time each morning to meet with my Heavenly Father, I am better able to align my agenda with His plan for my day. He promises that His wisdom will make the hours of my day more productive and the years of my life more fruitful. I know that when I begin the day like this, I feel a greater sense of accomplishment when I finally lay my head upon my pillow for the night. If I know the hours of my days have an eternal impact, I feel fulfilled in my soul. When my heart is in tune with God’s will, He makes those hours profitable and fruitful. To me there’s no greater sense of worth than this!

Take time today to step off your treadmill, and ask the Lord to direct your steps. The impact will be eternal!

A person’s steps are directed by the LORD.
   How then can anyone understand

their own way?

                                                                                Proverbs 20:24 NIV 2010

 

(clip art credits:   free google download)


Feb12

True Friends

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A friend LOVES at ALL times…

Proverbs 17: 17

If you have ever been through a deep “valley” in your life, you know those few friends who were down in the dark pit with you, walking along side of you, lifting you up, bolstering your spirits, crying with you, praying with you, getting “dirty” with you. These are the type of friends who truly love you for who you are, not for what you have to offer them.

These friends love you even when you are un~lovely. They arrive on the scene and embrace you with genuine compassion when your face is smeared with mascara from flowing tears. They look beyond your appearance and love you for who you are inside…the kind of friends who love you with blemishes and imperfections, with dark circles under your eyes from sleepless nights, with wrinkles from worry, without makeup, with grey hair, …without hair, or with scars from life’s battles.

Even when true friends can’t be physically present, their presence is felt in your life. From hundreds of miles away, they send “cyber-hugs” to your inbox with emails, texts or messaging. They send notes and cards to your mailbox which miraculously arrive at just the moment when you need a boost the most. They send prayers to heaven in your behalf. In their absence, their words are like comforting embraces.

This type of loyalty is the greatest evidence of genuine friendship. These loyal friends are there to help during periods of extreme distress and personal struggle. They know exactly what to say (or not say) in times of heartache. They even know when silence in the only appropriate thing to “say” by simply allowing their physical presence to speak the words you need to “hear.” They show the type of love that “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Their brand of love “never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13: 7 – 8 NIV) Their love serves as a parachute or safety net when we are falling.  They cushion the blows when we are blindsided by circumstances.  They are not only around in the good times, when the relationship is beneficial to them, but they also stick close when the going gets tough.

Be thankful for your true friends who love at all times.
Consider yourself blessed to have these people in your life. The very presence of these types of friends in our lives makes us better people. They are rare and priceless treasures.

I’m thankful for my precious friends who show this kind of love, and I hope that I’m the type of friend who shows this form of love in return. Thanks to each one of you for living this example in my life! You are all like golden threads woven into the tapestry of my life, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without you!

In good times and bad times;

In happy times and sad times;

In prosperity and poverty;

In health and in sickness;

Through laughter and tears;

In younger days and golden years;

During births and deaths;

Through success and failure;

In triumph and tragedy ~

 

Thank you, my dear friends, for your gift of true friendship!

 

LOVE at all times ~ cbcooksey

Feb11

Fourth and Long

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“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life ~

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

Matthew 6:25a; 27 (NIV 2010)

 

Sometimes it’s difficult NOT to worry. Lately I’ve been experiencing a period of troubling upheaval in my everyday life, but the above verses are telling me I should not be worried. My husband was recently diagnosed with a debilitating health condition which causes me to worry about his health, his care and treatment, our family’s future, our financial stability, the future for my three sons…and myself. Everything I once thought was “solid” is now crumbling right before my eyes.

Our MVP has been Sidelined

My husband has always been the “captain” of our family’s “team.” In essence, I feel that our MVP has been sidelined from the game of life, and I’m like a rookie being called in on 4th and long…and we’re not going to punt. Now it’s up to me to play the position of quarterback and lead our team to a victorious future. The clock is ticking, with little time left, and I must spring into action. The team is counting on me, and the outcome rests solely upon my shoulders.

Doubt and Fear Rumble Through My Mind

I run to the huddle and see the faces of my “teammates” looking at me with hopeful anticipation. They are waiting for the next play call. From the bench, my husband is counting on me to pull us through. My team is depending upon me to execute the next play with skillful precision. For a moment, I am frozen with fear thinking about the magnitude of the responsibility I face. I hear jeers of self-doubt resounding in my ears. As I lower my head in the huddle, the “what-if’s” spin through my mind. What if I fail? What if I throw an interception? What if I am sacked in the backfield? What if I make a wrong decision? What if I let everyone down? I begin to I question my abilities. I lack confidence in my preparation for this position, and I even begin to question my “Heavenly Head Coach” for putting an inexperienced quarterback into life’s game at such a crucial point. I certainly don’t want to “choke” with this enormous assignment.

I hear the Voice of my Heavenly “Head Coach”

I lift my eyes to find the Coach and listen for His play call. Above the roar of the “noise” in my head, I hear His gentle voice, providing me with insight. I have studied His Play Book. I trust His infinite wisdom to show me how to lead my team in the best possible way. His eyes are upon my every move, and He has known all along that He was preparing me to play this critical position. I know He has equipped me completely to assume this role.

“…And who knows but that you have come to your position

for such a time as this?” Esther 4: 14

I feel weak with fear and anxiety, but I realize that I don’t have to rely on my own power, wisdom, capabilities, resources or protection, because He promises to be all of these for me. He is my strength when I am weak, and He will infuse me with Heavenly wisdom when I have none. He tells me NOT to worry. I simply must trust in Him, obey His commands, and He will supply my every need.

I accept His instruction and call the next play for my team. I will trust Him implicitly for the outcome. My worries are replaced with inner calm and quiet confidence about the fact that the Coach knows what’s best for each one of His players. He doesn’t make mistakes. We break the huddle and the clock starts ticking…

Hut 1!, Hut 2!, Hut! , Hut! , Hut!!!….


Feb9

Know God by Heart

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…Know God by Heart

“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone,

Be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.

Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts,

And they will learn the truth.”

2 Timothy 2: 24 – 25 TLB

 

A couple of years ago when my youngest son was in 2nd grade, he brought home a writing assignment on “How we should Treat Others.” As I read his simple words, my heart melted. It gave me insight into his pure heart, and made think about the fact that the world would be a much better place if everyone thought like this. I froze when I read the last line which says, “If someone doesn’t know God, teach them…don’t get on to them. Keep telling them.
Keep teaching them until they know God by heart.” With his 8-year-old hand, he had penned an elementary summation of Jesus’ Great Commission:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Matthew 28: 19 – 20

 

I was immediately convicted at the thoughts of the many times I had shied away from “witnessing” to others. My little son understands the eternal importance of knowing God, and he realizes that others need to know Him as well. He believes that we should gently point them to our Heavenly Father. Now when I feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit encouraging me to share God’s love with someone, I remember my little boy’s words, and it gives me the confidence I need to speak up and not miss the opportunity to plant a seed for eternity.

Here’s the entire writing assignment…in his own words:

How we should Treat Others

By Thomas, age 8 🙂

 

  • Treat others how they want to be treated.
  • Help people like you’re helping God.
  • Treat people like they’re part of your family or like your best friend.
  • If someone is new or something, let them fit in with you.
  • If they are left out, introduce them to your friends.
  • You need to help someone like you’re helping God or a family member or your friend.
  • If someone is bored…do something with them!
  • Or if they don’t have anyone to play with, don’t leave them out.
  • Don’t be mean to the weak! Be caring and loving and kind.
  • Don’t judge people on how they look! Judge them by what’s in their heart.
  • If someone doesn’t know God, teach them…don’t get on to them. Keep telling them. Keep teaching them until they know God by heart.

     

 

“…and a little
child will lead them.” Isaiah 11:6

 


 

Thomas

Feb8

Strength from God

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LORD, be gracious to us;
   we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
   our salvation in time of distress.

Isaiah 33:2 (New International Version, ©2010)

 

 God is gracious, merciful, kind, and compassionate. His love for us is tender and eternal. In times of distress we feel drained of our energy and stamina. We are weak and lack stability. God’s omnipotent power is limitless, and His strength is boundless. No matter what distress
you are facing, ask Him to be your strength when you feel like you have none left. He will faithfully come to your rescue. Let the beauty of the sunrise each morning remind you that nothing is impossible for Him. Allow Him to strengthen you each day.

Feb7

God’s Unfailing Love

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“…the earth is full of His unfailing love.”

Psalm 33:5 (New International Version, ©2010)

 

God’s love is dependable and true. It is limitless and eternal; it will never let you down or disappoint. Allow God to open your spiritual eyes today so that you may see glimpses of His love all around you… because “the earth is full of His unfailing love!” Ask Him to let your heart feel His heavenly brand of love. Invite Him to show His love to you today in a very special and unique way.


 

Feb4

God’s Calling

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“I will go before you
   and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
   and cut through bars of iron.
I will give you hidden treasures,
   riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
   the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

Isaiah 45:2-4 (New International Version, ©2010)

 

Sometimes the “mission” God places upon our hearts seems humanly impossible. God might be prompting us to do something extraordinary, and we can think of many excuses in our limited minds why it can’t possibly work. The above verse is a powerful reminder of this truth:

When God designs your plans, nothing can stop His purposes from being accomplished.

If you are following in step with His will, He will go before you and level any “mountain” of impossibility ahead of you. He will break through barriers in our path which seemingly bring you to a dead end along your journey. When you are in the midst of a plan orchestrated by our Heavenly Father, prepare to be amazed. His ideas are not limited to human thinking. His power is limitless.

He can perform miracles.

When you are following His call upon your heart, remember that He has “summoned you by name.” He specifically chose you when He designed your particular calling. He knows everything about you, and He knows that you are uniquely qualified to fulfill the purpose of His grand plan. Obedience to His calling simply requires that you take a step of faith toward fulfilling His mission. With each step forward, you will begin to receive His “hidden treasures” and “riches stored in secret places.” These heavenly rewards are the unimaginable blessings which God wants to shower upon His children for their obedience.

So if you feel God calling you by name, follow His lead. The job He has planned just for you will have eternal rewards. Have confidence in His ability to fulfill His plans. He will be with you every step of the way.

Feb2

Anchor for your Soul

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“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19

 

Do you ever feel as though life’s circumstances are engulfing you like a powerful rip tide, pulling you into a tumultuous sea of despair? You are powerless to the force of the current, and the more you fight against the flow of events, the weaker you become. When life is seemingly out of your control or when events take a sharp, unexpected turn, remember that by placing your hope in our Heavenly Father, He will be the immovable anchor for your soul. His promises are unchanging and true. His love is unfailing. His strength is limitless. Regardless of what you are going through, you will be secure in His grasp. Just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed, our hope is firm and secure when our souls are anchored in God.