Promise for Today - For Your Good

As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB)

There’s nothing in your life that you can’t learn from if you’ll just respond with the right attitude.  Instead of saying, “God, why is this happening to me?’ learn to say, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” Every situation in life will either make you bitter or better. It’s your choice because you CAN choose how you respond to it.

Every problem has a purpose, and the purpose is to help you grow up spiritually and become more like Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5 says, “In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus” (ICB). If one of God’s purposes for your life is to grow up spiritually and to become like Jesus, then what is Jesus like?

The Bible calls Jesus’ character the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 GW). These are the qualities God wants to build in your life. He wants your life to overflow with love, joy, peace, and all of these attributes.

God often produces these qualities in your life by putting you in the exact opposite situation. 

He teaches you how to love by putting you around unlovely people. It’s easy to love people who are cool, people who are like you, people you get along with. But God will put you around seemingly unlovable people to show you what his unconditional love looks like.

He’ll teach you joy not by giving you everything you want but by showing you in adversity and grief that he is still enough.

He doesn’t teach you peace when you’re out fishing by the lake or wherever you choose to rest and relax. God teaches you real peace in the middle of chaos, when everything in your life is falling apart and you learn to trust him more.

God teaches us patience in traffic jams and waiting rooms and the thousand different ways we have to wait in life.

Becoming like Christ is a lifelong journey. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 in The Living Bible paraphrase, “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.” God’s Spirit will be working on you the rest of your life to help you grow up spiritually.

When he uses ways to help you grow up that seem uncomfortable or inconvenient, remember that they are producing in you God’s best fruit.

Talk It Over

Think about a recent situation or circumstance that was difficult or stressful. How might God have intended to use it for your spiritual growth?

Why does adversity often teach us better than prosperity?

What do you think God wants you to do when you’re faced with adversity and you can’t see how God is using it for good in your life?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Holy Spirit, we come before You with humble hearts, asking You to cultivate Your fruit in us. Let Your love flow through us, touching everyone we meet. Fill us with joy that overflows, peace that surpasses understanding, and patience that endures through trials.
           Lord, we ask for kindness and goodness to define our interactions, faithfulness to guide our commitments, and gentleness to reflect Your tender care. Grant us self-control to walk in righteousness and to resist temptations that seek to lead us astray.
          May love permeate our actions and words, joy radiate even in trials, and peace reign even amidst storms. Foster in us patience towards others, kindness in our dealings, goodness in our actions, faithfulness in our commitments, gentleness in our responses, and self-control in our desires.
         As we abide in You, we will bear much fruit, glorifying Your name and being a blessing to others.
We trust You, Father, to change us into the image of Your dear Son, and it's in His Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Seeing Our Way Out

Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

When a crisis hits, you have to do the smart things necessary to get through it. You listen to God’s Word and godly advice, you make good choices, and you keep moving forward while remembering that this will pass. It’s not going to last forever!

The Living Bible paraphrases 1 Peter 4:12 this way: "Dear friends, don't be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you" (TLB).

In this world, there will be times of trial and testing. It’s guaranteed! Since sin entered the world, nothing works perfectly. Everything on this planet is broken—the weather, the economy, your body, and even your best plans. Nothing works perfectly in this life because sin broke everything on earth.

The Bible says, “The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant . . . The earth has broken up. It has utterly collapsed" (Isaiah 24:5, 19 NLT).

On earth, everything is lost, abandoned, and confused. Even nature is groaning. We may wonder why God allowed sin and evil to enter the world; it’s because God wanted us to have a choice. And we're the ones who have chosen to cause evil. We're the ones who are selfish and self-centered, causing problems in society and in our environment.

This earth is not heaven. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray the Lord's Prayer—"your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 NIV). Heaven is a perfect place with no sorrow, sickness, sadness, or stress, but we shouldn't expect heaven on earth. One day we'll get there, but we're not there yet.

You will get through whatever trial you’re facing right now. Soon enough you will marvel at all that God did in the midst of your trouble as you look at it from the other side.

There will be more challenges to face and adversity to endure. But you can always hope in this truth: "Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV).

Talk It Over

What are some ways you hope to grow spiritually, physically, and emotionally through a current time of trial?

God does not cause bad things to happen, but he can work to redeem those bad things. How have you seen him redeem adversity in your life or in someone else’s life?

What do you place your hope in during a crisis? Is it enough to sustain you?

- by Pastor Rick
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Prayer:

Father, 

        We come before You with humble hearts, seeking solace and strength in the midst of crisis. In times of hardship, when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm us, we turn to You, the source of all comfort and grace.

In the depths of our struggles, we find refuge in Your boundless love. As we navigate the turbulent waters of uncertainty, we lean on the pillars of faith You have provided. Grant us the wisdom to recognize the lessons hidden within the challenges we face and the courage to embrace growth in adversity.

We lift up those directly impacted by crisis—whether through illness, loss, or unforeseen challenges—and surround them with Your healing light, O God. May Your comforting embrace be felt in the darkest moments, offering reassurance that even in the midst of pain, Your love prevails. Grant resilience to those at the epicenter of chaos, infusing their spirits with unwavering strength so they may stand firm against the winds of despair. May they emerge from the tempest with newfound courage, resilient like the mighty oak that withstands the fiercest storms.

In our collective efforts to manage a crisis, instill in us a spirit of unity and collaboration. Let compassion be the guiding force, inspiring acts of kindness that ripple through the tapestry of human existence. Guide the hands of those in positions of leadership so that they may navigate these challenges with wisdom, empathy, and a commitment to the greater good. Illuminate their minds to make decisions rooted in justice, equity, and compassion.

In our moments of despair, help us find solace in the power of community and connection. Let us be reminded that we are not alone in our struggles, for You have blessed us with the gift of one another. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen