Friday Encouragement...

    
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see Hebrews 11:1

Sometimes life gets rough, the stress of coping with the day to day is overwhelming. The hamster wheel we are stuck on is spinning, faster, faster, faster.... It is hard to believe on those days. It is hard to "be sure" on those kinda days. 

5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.








But God promises strength for the bad days, peace for the stormy days, and wisdom for the crazy days. 









He doesn't promise a bed of roses, He doesn't promise prosperity, He doesn't promise the easy road. No, he warns us of the challenges, he wants us to be tested so that we can not survive on our own. Not because he is a mean God, but because he loves us. He wants to be our all in all. Our only hope, our peace, our strength. If only we allow Him. 

Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

However if we learn to align our desires with his, our hearts to His, He will often bless us. The road to becoming refined is often painful and unpleasant. But oh, the rewards.

     

Be encouraged today. God is working, sometimes He is working on you and sometimes He is working for you. But either way, you are a beautiful part of His Great Plan. You were born for a time like this...