As believers, we have so much to be thankful for. We know that you have probably heard this statement preached to you in some way, shape, or form. This is a true statement and something that we should all hold on to (Psalm 106:1). Christians do have a lot to be grateful for; one of those being that God sent His son to bear a burden that we could not bear (John 3:16). While this is true, life circumstances can make this hard to remember. In reality, there are many Christians who are suffering, and this causes us to feel disheartened in what Jesus did.
Sometimes our reality can distort us from the truth. Our reality can cause us to neglect the truth of what Jesus did and only focus on what is here and now. Advance the Faith wants to recognize the real hurt, pain, and trauma that Christians are experiencing. Life is hard and full of many disappointments, mishaps, and trials and at the same time God is good and He remains faithful to the righteous.
We want today’s post to acknowledge the reality that many Christians are facing while highlighting the constant faithfulness of God.
Instead of focusing on your reality, we want you to focus on the truth of God’s word.
Here are a few statements that we hope bring encouragement to you right where you are:
In reality, you are grieving a loved one, and the truth is that you have the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness (Romans 8:26-29).
In reality, your health is on the decline, and you are worried that you will not live, and the truth is that God restores the sick (Psalm 41:3).
In reality, you are having a tug-of-war with sin and feel condemned, lost, and far from God, and the truth is that you are free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:18).
In reality, you are weary, downcast, and burdened by your problems and the problems of your family and friends, and the truth is that you can trust God with your burdens (Psalm 55:22).
In reality, you feel that you are worthless, useless, and unlovable, and the truth is that you are a child of the Most High and are worthy to be loved (Psalm 139:13-16).
In reality, you have nothing to look forward to and are discouraged that your life means nothing, and the truth is that you have eternity and glory ahead of you (2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Revelations 21:4).
We don’t want to ignore the suffering that you are going through, rather we want you to focus on the one who can be with you in the midst of it.
We want to help you draw your attention to Yahweh, Jehovah Jireh, and focus on his glory and how through Him you will get through the good, the bad, and the ugly seasons of life.
God does not want you to pretend like everything is ok, instead, He wants you to face Him.
Our free online course, Abide, reminds us to remain in God, so we can have abundant life. We created this course to help Christians better connect to Christ on their journey to a fulfilled life in Christ. Here at Advance the Faith, we do not want to ignore your reality but combat your reality with the truth that God is good, and He remains faithful.
You have EL SHADDAI “God almighty” fighting your battles, and that my friends is something to be thankful for.
Click the image below to hear a song to remind you that you don’t have to pretend, but instead, you can remain in Him.
Below is the link to our free online course, Abide.
https://www.advancethefaithacademy.com/course/abide
Shay Griffin
Shay is a biblical studies intern. She is a Master of Divinity student at Liberty University and currently lives in Louisiana. She hopes to one day teach the Bible at colleges/universities, churches, and create devotional/curriculum content. Her goal for this internship is to be challenged in her skills as a writer and a teacher.
