Trials and Suffering

Hey guys! I miss you all so much already! It brings me so much joy to see y’all are already blogging. AWESOME!

So I was talking to one of my Sojo ladies this morning and we were discussing how there are going to be things that happen in our lives that are tough. Finding out a friend doesn’t approve of your decision to follow Christ, learning a parent or sibling is depressed, or being shot down by someone you love and feeling as though your joy is being sapped from you. All of us deal with tough things every once in a while, don’t we?

My Sojo lady found anti-depressants in her mom’s bathroom this morning and it left her feeling scared and concerned. We can all relate to those feelings, can’t we? This should be our response:

First off we have to battle fear. Fear is not of the Lord.

"For I give you not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control" 2 Timothy 1:7

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I shall not be afraid." Psalm 56:3-4

Second, we cannot take this on ourselves or blame ourselves for anything because the Lord has a plan, for all of us, "for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans not to hurt or harm you, but plans to give you a hope and a future." jeremiah 29:11

If we keep reading that verse it tells us something AWESOME... "...then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I WILL HEAR YOU. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." Jeremiah 29:12-14

He promises if we give ALL things up to him he will hear our cry. He hears our every thought, he knows them before they are even on our mind. But he also tells us he has a plan. The Lord knew our precious girl would find those pills, maybe her mom needs encouragement and that is something she can give her!

"be still befre the Lord and wait patiently for him" pslam 37:7

Trust the Lord. He is the divine healer, and will show us the way. We must wait patiently for him to lead us and guide us.

Also, when it comes to our rents making us angry or upset, or anyone for that matter we need to keep this in mind: "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." James 1:19-20 this also tells us to be quick to listen. We must go to those who are hurting and deliver our joy to them. We also must comfort and listen.

As an encouragement to those who are hurting this scripture comes to mind. I absolutely LOVE it. "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and delivered the, from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his STEADFAST LOVE." psalm 107:13-15

Finally… "and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. so then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are the household of faith." Galatians 6:9-10

Stay the course guys, remain strong. Be the light to those in the world who are lost. Always encourage and combat struggles with scripture. The BIBLE is the love letter the Lord has left us!!!!

I love you all SO very much!

Always, Lindsey

P.S. I'll leave you with something to think about. In Psalm 107:13-15 I says, “Let us thank the Lord for his STEADFAST LOVE.” (See the whole scripture above.)

What is steadfast love?