stanpavkovich

I read recently read where one person said his earlier view of life…. was life was like a roller coaster with its ups and downs…. the good being the ups and the down being the bad. But as he has gotten older and wiser he now views life as mixture of both. The good and the bad all the time. That on any given day you can point to what is going well and you can point to what is not going so well in your life…. Family could be going well… job not so well…. job and family going well…. but health not so well.

And obviously some situations will be more difficult then others.

When we face the difficult situations in life…. it challenges our faith. What are we going to believe about God and his plan?…. Is God punishing me? …. Did God forget about me?…. Did he leave me? ….. I thought God loved me and cared about me. …. Aren’t God’s plans to prosper me to give me a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11)?

If we are honest with ourselves some of these questions can mess with our heads.

If you are in the middle of a difficult situation in your life, I want to encourage you with two things. 1) God has a plan. Even if your own sin or bad decision has put you in the place you are in, God is still in control. …. You may not see him or his plan right now or even for several years down the road while you are going through this struggle. Keep trusting in God and following him through the storm and he will show you one day how your situation turn fits into his plan. …. His plans are indeed good because he loves you. As Romans 8:38 says, “God works for the good of those who love him who are called according to his purpose.” Continue to love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and walk in his ways. Think of this as a time to draw closer to God. There are times when we may need to change our plans to fit his plans. …. Or change our thinking about something.

Second, I want you to know God is with you. God has not abandoned you or forsaken you because he loves you. We have the promise from Jesus, that as his disciples, those who love him and follow him, he will be with us always to the very end of the age Mt. 28:20. His Spirit is with us in a real, tangible way even if you don’t feel his presence at the moment.

Be Blessed,
Stan