April 15th

April 15th

As we have been talking about seeing God move in our circumstances, I am reminded of a verse.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Sometimes we can’t see God’s hand in the middle of the trial but later we do. It is so hard to be patient in the middle of the hard times; we want it to be over quickly. But sometimes for God’s results, the length of time in the trial is as important as what we are actually going through in the trial. Sometimes to get the full effect we need time, and God’s timing is perfect. Being patient in affliction or trials/tough times is hard but we are not expected to do it alone. We know He is with us. We know that patience is a fruit of the Spirit, so it is not something we can muster up. This is not something WE do, it is something HE does in us. We just have to lean in to the Holy Spirit for help.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The Lord gives us instructions in His Word that are sometimes hard, but He does not expect us to go it alone. He gives us everything we need to make it through. Sometimes we immediately bury ourselves in our emotions or react our own way, relying on our own “strength.” We soon find ourselves exhausted or emotionally worn out. Instead, we could lean in to our Savior for all that we need. He will give us all that we need. We could find His peace, His Strength, His wisdom, and His joy instead of settling for our weak human responses.

HE wants us to come to Him. He WANTS us to let Him help us. He wants HIS results because they are what is best for us. When will we learn? He gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us, lead us, and comfort us. But do we remember that?

John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

That word “Helper” is also translated Counselor, Comforter, Advocate, and Strengthener. Those are all things that we can expect from the Holy Spirit who lives in us. But we have to receive them, we have to surrender to Him and let Him be those things for us instead of running off on our own tangent the minute trouble comes.

So, want to glean all that God has for you in the midst of trouble? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer by leaning in to the Holy Spirit and asking Him for help.

Jesus, thank you for using everything that I face, the good and the bad, to do what is best for me. Help me to be patient through the tough times. Help me to lean in to you Holy Spirit and let you give me what I need to get through it and glean all that you have for me in it. Thank you for your patience with me and thank you for loving me that much!

Romans 15:9 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.