Be Assured

“And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed Him. 40 And when He came to the place, He said to them, pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation. 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done. 43 And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit. 44 And being in an agony [of mind], He prayed [all the] more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground.” Luke 22:39-44(AMP)

Many of us have found ourselves in difficult situations. We fast and pray. We cry. We speak the Word; but no relief in sight. Just as Jesus cried out in the garden for the cup to be taken from Him, so have many of us. Lord, Lord why has though forsaken me, why have you left me here to die. If you don’t move soon, I am not going to make it. Time seems to creep by. Every day without realizing it, you are getting stronger. Your endurance is building. Your cries are becoming praise and your heartache is becoming passion. You are in the place of pressing, the place where it seems as though you are not going to be able to live past the next breath. But out of nowhere comes a rushing mighty wind, infusing you with inner strength and speaking purpose to your storm.

Do not allow difficult situations to shake your faith. The pressure that you are experiencing now is just to squeeze out of you the precious oil, the treasures that are buried deep within. If the pressing never took place, you would not realize what is on the inside of you. You would never grasp your full potential, your worth, and your value.

In hardships, stay focused, pursue peace and never lose sight of the guaranteed victory. We may not be able to trace His steps, but we can be assured of His heart towards us. Be assured that He loves you too much to allow you to be overtaken by the pain, the frustration, the challenges that you face. He has already provided a place of safety for you, under the shadow of His wings.

Father, open our eyes to your perspective on our situation. Help us to know that you love us too much to allow us to be consumed. Help us to be assured of the grace that you have given us to empower us and strengthen us inwardly as we deal with challenges and discomforts. I pray that we will be reminded daily of your provision of comfort and peace in our lives. In Jesus name Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission