hard times Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Daily Thoughts about God

“The person who expects nothing will never be disappointed.” (Alexander Pope)

This new journey of faith walking feels more like a narrow winding up and down, black diamond hike than a meandering smooth easy path. One day I’m ecstatic over the answers to prayer I’m witnessing and the next I’m in the depths of despair, disappointed and discouraged. It’s why I resonated so deeply with this quote when I saw it. I’m expecting God to move in big and small ways to make this ministry happen. But “His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts,” (Isaiah 55.8) and I might add, His timing is not my timing. I expect great things from God and He doesn’t let me down, He just doesn’t do things in the way I think He should or in the time I think they should be done!

The other day I wrote in my journal, “I feel discouragement knocking at my door. BUT I refuse to open it! I REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED. I REFUSE TO BACK DOWN. I REFUSE TO QUIT.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult and only a few ever find it.”

As I tread this difficult road I feel it making me stronger. Deepening my faith. Teaching me dependence. Stripping away the peripheral. Narrowing my focus. Grounding me in truth. Forging a stalwart heart.

So today, once again, I choose the difficult road. I choose to follow His way. I choose to put my hand in the Hand of the one who laid down His life for me. I choose to follow wherever this difficult road takes me.

I know I’m not the only one choosing the difficult road. My road may look different from yours but our roads are difficult just the same. Hang in there. Never give up and don’t back down. Refuse to open the door to discouragement. Turn to your Savior, He gave His life so you might have LIFE, true and abundant life!

Remember, if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. You won’t struggle with disappointment but you won’t accomplish anything of value either.

Spilling His Grace,
Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

As hard as it seems keep believing!

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)

God is not slack concerning His promises to you. He has not forgotten about you. The very same words I have used to encourage myself time and time again, I use today to encourage you. It is not easy trusting a God that you don’t see. It is not always easy trusting that He is concerned about what concerns you. But the truth of the matter is, we serve a God that will never renege on His promises.

Paul tells us in our scripture reference not to throw away our confident trust in the Lord. Confident trust is the belief that something will happen based on God’s character. Again, He does not falter on His promises. Our reliance then should be on His ability to bring what He promises to pass.

So right now, in this very moment, as hard as it seems to keep believing, I urge you not to throw away your fearless confidence. Instead, embrace the patient endurance that helps us to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising. It is this endurance that prompts us not to give up when we are weary. We will reap the harvest that has been promised to us if we just hang in there. I challenge you today to stick it out and stick with God’s plan. Stay consistent, keep trusting, keep believing, and keep fighting until you see the promised completion.

Lord, I have failed you time and time again in this area. Help me today to continue along the path that you have laid out for me. Help me to stay true to my assignment even when my feelings get the best of me. Help me to keep the right heart attitude as I wait on you to bring your promises to fulfillment. Most of all, help me to continue trusting your heart towards me. In Jesus, name, Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

The Difficult Road

“The person who expects nothing will never be disappointed.” (Alexander Pope)

Further Reading

Hang in There

As hard as it seems keep believing!

Further Reading

Tag: <span>hard times</span>

The Difficult Road

“The person who expects nothing will never be disappointed.” (Alexander Pope)

Further Reading

Hang in There

As hard as it seems keep believing!

Further Reading