Every year, during January, my church focuses on the family. This year we focused on building a home based on faith. My dad is the family minister, so he doesn't normally preach. But he did, and in one of his sermons he talked about trials. Specifically, he talked about the ones we as a family have been facing the past couple years. He used the verse James 1:2-3, which says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
He made one point that stuck out to me. How on earth are we supposed to be joyous in suffering?! I mean, it seems to me that that is asking a lot of us, right? It's natural as humans to be angry at our circumstances, even God. We wonder why He lets things, bad things, happen to us. And then he expects us to get back up? Every time?! How can we do that over and over? I have asked myself that all the time. Only one answer comes to mind: faith.
Without trials, without suffering and pain, we would have no need for faith. Without problems and trials, we would have no reason to trust in God. That's why we go through hard times. Not only does faith produce perseverance, but it produces STRENGTH.
Here are some verses that I turn to when I feel like I need strength:
1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
1 Corinthians 1:8, "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Isaiah 40:29, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge in strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
When you feel you need strength, turn to scripture. Even if you have to Google 'verses about strength'! That's what I do!
Peace & Love,
Jenae
He made one point that stuck out to me. How on earth are we supposed to be joyous in suffering?! I mean, it seems to me that that is asking a lot of us, right? It's natural as humans to be angry at our circumstances, even God. We wonder why He lets things, bad things, happen to us. And then he expects us to get back up? Every time?! How can we do that over and over? I have asked myself that all the time. Only one answer comes to mind: faith.
Without trials, without suffering and pain, we would have no need for faith. Without problems and trials, we would have no reason to trust in God. That's why we go through hard times. Not only does faith produce perseverance, but it produces STRENGTH.
Here are some verses that I turn to when I feel like I need strength:
1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
1 Corinthians 1:8, "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Isaiah 40:29, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge in strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
When you feel you need strength, turn to scripture. Even if you have to Google 'verses about strength'! That's what I do!
Peace & Love,
Jenae
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