Take a spiritual cleaning day

By Rick Warren

“The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves. (Proverbs 20:27)

Do you struggle with guilt? We all do at times.

Guilt keeps us stuck in the past. How do you move on and get rid of it? You start by admitting your guilt. Don’t bury it, don’t deny it, and don’t ignore it. Just own up to it!

Even though we know this truth, we still try to run from our guilt. But when you run from guilt, it’s going to catch up with you. Because wherever you go, you take you with you.

The problem is in your mind!

No matter how busy you are or how far away you run, you’re going to be just as stressed if your stress is coming from regrets, shame, or guilt. When you finally slow down, all those feelings will come crashing down on you.

God doesn’t want you to live that way.

The Bible says you can’t run from yourself: “The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves” (Proverbs 20:27). You may be able to hide your guilt from everybody else, but you can’t hide it from yourself.

We all have an amazing ability to lie to ourselves. You say it’s not bad when it really is bad, and it’s getting better when it isn’t getting any better. You might tell yourself you’re further along and better than you really are.

To stop defeating yourself, you have to stop deceiving yourself. You have to tell yourself the truth.

What is it that defeats us? All kinds of things—worry, envy, bitterness, jealousy, guilt, fear, anxiety, and insecurity.

It may be time to do a spiritual cleaning day.

A lot of people take time in the spring to go through the house and give it an extra scrubbing or organize things that are normally neglected. But spiritually speaking, you don’t need to wait for the spring. At least once a year, take a personal inventory of your spiritual condition.

How do you do that?

Set aside a couple of hours and go somewhere by yourself with paper and a pen. Reflect on the following questions: “God, I want you to bring to mind all my sin. Where have I messed up? What mistakes have I made? What do I feel guilty about, either consciously or unconsciously?”

If you genuinely repent of your sins to God and are honest with yourself, God’s Spirit will start bringing these things to mind. Then, start writing them down.

Why do you have to write it down? Because writing it down helps you to be specific and avoid denying those problems.

Take a spiritual cleaning day this week and get rid of the guilt that’s been weighing you down.

10 scriptures to help you pray through grief

By Bob Hostetler

When it comes to sharing our sorrow, there’s no better place to turn than God’s own words. God is close to those who grieve.

We may grieve for a friend or family member who has died or a loved one who has strayed. We may mourn the loss of a pet or a job or a prized possession. We may experience grief when our health wanes or a relationship sours. Whatever the source of our pain, the Bible assures us that the Lord “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

When we experience loss, it only hurts more to ignore it or deny it; healing comes when we acknowledge and express what we’re feeling. While it’s therapeutic to talk to friends and counselors, there’s no one better to hear our sorrows than our gracious, compassionate and loving Lord.

There’s also no better way to pray through our grief than with the words of Scripture, allowing God’s own words to flow through our minds and hearts. Here are 10 scriptures that anyone can pray through grief:

1)  2 Samuel 12:23
“I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). Or turn it around to heighten the promise in the verse: “He (or she) will not return to me, but I will go to him (or her).”

2)  Psalm 31:9 
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief (Psalm 31:9).

3)  Psalm 34:18 
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

4)  Psalm 73:21-26 
When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever (Psalm 73:21-26).

5)  Psalm 119:28
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28).

6)  Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).

7)  Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

8)  John 16:22
“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:22).

9)  1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

10) Revelation 21:4 
“‘[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

These are a mere sample of the many Bible verses that will help a grieving person process and pray through a season of grief. Feel free to print them and pray them as often as necessary, and even add other verses as you encounter them in your Bible reading.

Encourage one another

“Encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’” Hebrews 3:13 (NCV)

Most of you have to juggle a lot of important roles in your life. You’re a colleague, a parent, a family member, or a friend to someone. But if you’re married, God has given you another incredibly important role: to be your spouse’s biggest fan. It’s a job only you can do in the way God desires—and your spouse desperately needs you to do it.

Every person on the planet needs to be affirmed by someone on a regular basis—including your spouse. It’s how God wired us. More than likely, affirmation was part of your marriage in the beginning. You probably wouldn’t have married each other if it wasn’t. But like so many other parts of a growing marriage, affirmation often fades over the course of time.

The Bible says in Hebrews 3:13, “Encourage each other every day while it is ‘today’” (NCV).

But how do you encourage each other? What should you affirm in your spouse?

Here are some practical ways to affirm someone. They’re great tips for marriage and for any close relationship.

1. Affirm their value.

One meaning of the word “appreciate” is “to raise the value of something.” You raise the value of other people when you appreciate them. As you appreciate your spouse, you raise their value and the value of your marriage. Proverbs 12:25 says, “A word of encouragement does wonders!” (TLB). A word of encouragement will do wonders for your marriage—or any other relationship.

2. Affirm their strengths.

You bring out the best in your spouse when you point out their strengths, instead of focusing on their weaknesses. Choose to be a dream builder, not a dream buster. We ultimately become what other people see in us. No person in your spouse’s life can impact their self-identity—and ultimately their future—like you can.

3. Affirm the role they play.

You and your spouse make your own unique contributions to the world. Let your spouse know how much you appreciate the role they play. Cheer them on and help them see the impact they’re making.

You have an incredible opportunity to impact your spouse’s self-understanding. You can use that opportunity to either build them up or tear them down. It’s your choice. And it’s one of the most important choices you’ll make for the health of your marriage.

Choose to intentionally build up your spouse, today!

Adapted from an article by Rick Warren

Activities Report for 2020

Our Response to the COVID 19 Pandemic

Help for the Needy

Though corporate giving has gone down in South Africa and despite the fact that many NPOs are struggling, God is still on the throne and prayer changes things. Our thoughtful and compassionate supporters and our dedicated volunteers continued to stand by Family Care Ministries this year. Despite the hardships many faced in their own lives, the donations given allowed us to buy the hundreds and hundreds of kilogrammes of fruit, vegetables, rice, potatoes, maize, samp, soya mince and other protein to enable us to serve 65,399 meals and to buy the food items for the 483 food parcels this year.

In addition to the feeding schemes we  have been running in Orange Farm and Evaton West for many years, Family Care Ministries volunteers opened a feeding scheme to approximately 250 children and elderly in Eldorado Park. Schools were closed for a good part of the year and once they reopened, children only attended classes on some of the weekdays. This meant that many missed out not only having their educational needs met but also on the meals that they are usually provided with at schools. We tried to fill the gap where we could and started feeding children three times a week in Eldorado Park and stepped up our  feeding in Drieziek Ext 9, in Orange Farm from feeding 300-450 meals once a week to feeding three times a week. For a good part of the year Family Care Ministries was able to also expand this food programme to the informal settlements of Tjovitjo nearby. This brought our food distribution close to 9,000 meals during these months.

Our volunteers also visit the elderly in their homes to help clean, cook meals or collect medication at the clinic on their behalf when needed.

Our monthly feeding programme to 120 elderly in the Brixton area was disrupted during the months of lockdown. As soon as we were able to raise the needed money we continued. We managed to bring a wholesome warm meal three times in this year and delivered food parcels on two occasions. Whenever possible we passed out one or two pieces of fruit, tea and sugar, or other food items along with the meal. While we were conscious and careful to avoid close contact, we still handed out a printed leaflet along with a smile and encouraging words. This did a lot to alleviate some of the fears and worries many are dealing with during this pandemic.

We were able to step up our biweekly distribution of 300 loaves of bread to a weekly one of the same amount.  Milk and eggs were distributed on a biweekly or monthly basis. 40 households received regular food assistance in Orange Farm and Evaton West alone.

Family Care Ministries was able to help school children who needed stationary. Whenever available we handed out school or other shoes, clothing and any household items we were given.

Most of the weekly food donations we received from a supermarket were delivered to the Boys Brigade in Noordgesig, Soweto. The couple serving the children and families in this community continue to help children to the best of their ability. We feel honoured to work with people who look past their own needs to care for others.

Other Food Distribution

In addition to all the hundreds and hundreds of kilogrammes of maize, rice, potatoes, vegetables and protein that goes into preparing 65,399 meals, Family Care Ministries volunteers distributed this year:

• 394 crates of assorted foods, and other canned and dry goods
• 12,800 loaves of bread
• 2.3 tonnes of  maize
• 130 jars of peanut butter
• 1,000 l of milk
• 1,410 dozen eggs
• 3,300 kg of liquid eggs (egg pulp)
• 20 kg E-Pap
• 40 jars of soup ingredients

Donations in Kind

• 47 bags of clothes, 4 of which contained jerseys and lovingly knitted scarves and beanies
• 26 bags of shoes
• 20 large boxes of toys and children’s books
• a bakkie load of adult books
• cleaning supplies
• a bakkie load of household items
• a double and a single sink and tiles to upgrade our kitchen in Orange Farm
• a small fridge, printer, bread maker, and irons
• 150 New Testaments
• 50 Gift bags
• 1200 pencils
• 8 boxes of colour pencil sets
• rulers, erasers and sharpeners
• 100 sets of crayons
• 120 pens
• 400 highlighters
• 200 sets felt tip markers

Outreach

The donations of 12 boxes of paper were used to print 46,000 gospel tracts, 1,810 Bible verse booklets, and over 13,000 pages of Bible study course material in three languages. Aside from what was printed in house, we also distributed other Christian magazines and devotional and motivational booklets.

While sharing the Gospel one-on-one is most effective, our volunteers also used social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to reach others. Messages went out via SMS and by email to spread God’s Word and to counsel and encourage others to find or cling to their faith in Jesus. These avenues of spreading the Gospel had to be utilized in a greater way throughout this year marked by lockdowns and restrictions. Through these avenues the Lord has helped us to change the world one heart at a time. Here are some of the responses we received:

When I see what you and the Lord are doing for the hungry and needy, my heart is so full of joy. I get tears in my eyes. It’s so, so wonderful. Praise the Lord and God bless you. – Beverly

Thanks for all the messages, testimonies and your prayers for me. Pastor, I respect you. Sending somebody a verse or just saying “I am praying for you” or even just sharing a testimony about what God is doing, does a great deal in someone’s life. I’m being encouraged, motivated and influenced to serve the Lord with all my heart. – Pastor Gently

Today God has given me a dad who prays for me and cares for our community. Thank you. I grew up without parents so you are very special to me. I will forever respect you. May God bless you and your family. – Florence

I feel like jumping. Thank you God for connecting my life with Family Care Ministries! I glorify your name, Jesus. – Simphiwe

I enjoy your words of wisdom and file them and spread them where needed!! Many thanks!!! – Suenette

There are many more but we just wanted to put a few here to show that the Lord’s love is powerful. It lifts, it encourages, and it transforms and changes people.

Training

Early Childhood Development Training and Workshops

As an affiliate of EDU-BUILD INSTITUTE, Family Care Ministries has become a training provider offering SETA-accredited training to caregivers at ECD centres in Orange Farm offering the Early Childhood Development NQF Level 4 Certificate and the Level 5 Diploma in ECD courses. By December 2020 we had helped 6 ladies get their qualifications starting out as ECD practitioners. Unfortunately more than half of our students were unable to continue with their studies due to the hardships and financial strains many faced due to the pandemic.

We discontinued all other ECD training workshops for the time being due to lockdown restrictions. We did distribute two bakkie loads of used toys, books, and office and stationary supplies to a number of preschools in Orange Farm though.

Prison Ministry

Our ministry to inmates at Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre in Makhado, Limpopo, was disrupted on several occasions due to Corona Virus outbreaks or restrictions at Kutama. Despite this we managed to facilitate our Bible study courses at half capacity. We had therefore only 80 graduates by December 2020. Two inmates graduated from our advanced course while 8 others carried on with their studies throughout this year.

We can clearly see that lives are changing through the lessons and teaching. Here are some responses that we got from inmates:

Sydney: Proverbs 3:5-6 has taught me that in everything I do I should consult with God before so that it may prosper. I must not rely on myself because I might fail. But God doesn’t fail. He also said blessed are those who put their trust in the Lord. They will never be ashamed. This course has changed my life completely because now I depend in the Lord. Every situation that I come across in my life I hand it over to God because He is the one who is able to solve every problems. It has also taught me that if I put the Word of God first place in my heart, then the very same Word of God will produce an abundant harvest in my life.

Maphoto: The studying of this course has helped me a lot, especially in challenging me to give all of me to the Lord our God and having faith in Him. I have learned that God is not the source of our problems. The things we read in the Word of God, the Lord expect us to change the way we think. And as our thinking changes, so does our life.

Mpogo: Studying this course has helped me make my life to change for real. I came to prison without education and knowing nothing about correctional programmes. Starting to attend and learn about them (programmes and schooling), my life today is not the same as at the first appearance in prison. Now I understand that the Lord expects us to change our life about the things we read in the Word of God and accept and follow Jesus Christ as our spiritual leader for our entire life.

Aubrey: This course is fruitful to me because it helped me to memorize and mediate on the Word of God whenever I face challenges in my life. It also helped me to depend on God and put Him first all the time so that the seed inside me would produce the good fruit.

Malawi Work

Family Care Ministries has assisted the outreach work in Malawi for the past 11 years. Our volunteer workers are presently actively involved in training 600 pastors and other individuals who have a desire to teach, train, counsel and encourage others in six different locations. As part of our efforts we sent gospel pamphlets, Bible Study Course Manuals and Bible verse booklets to spread God’s Word and message. Family Care Ministries continues to support farming projects and youth outreach in the area.

Wings out of weights

No matter what obstacles you face in life, there is a way to live above them. God gives His children wings when things get to be too much. Wings are born out of weights.

There’s a sort of gravitation in this old world that daily strives to pull us down. But there’s also an upward pull that can lift us up to the very heart of God. “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Those who wait in the Lord’s presence, in prayer and in His Word, rise to realms of peace and rest.

When wearied with the strain of it all, fly to God. God has the victory for you. God has the answers to your problems. Fly to God for the rest that He has promised. Fly on the wings of prayer and faith and get the relief that He alone can give you.

If you’re having trouble finding that place of peace and rest in God’s presence, we invite you to receive His Son, Jesus, into your heart. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”(Matthew 11:28) You can receive Jesus right now by simply praying the following prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank You for dying for me so I can have eternal life. Please forgive me for every wrong and unloving thing I have ever done. Come into my heart, give me Your gift of eternal life, and help me to know Your love and peace. Thank You for hearing and answering this prayer and for being with me always, from this moment on. Amen.

Drawing on God’s strength

Allan Tabaro

Just before Christmas a few years ago, I was involved in a car accident that almost took my life. I sustained a spinal cord injury to my T4 vertebra, leaving me paraplegic, paralyzed from the chest down, and confined to a wheelchair.

Nothing can prepare anyone for coping with paraplegia and disability, especially to the extent that you have to rely almost completely on others for assistance. Suddenly the things you had taken for granted, like getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom, are no longer possible because your body refuses to function.

Questions flood your mind, and fear, doubt, and anxiety can get the better of you. It was like being in a bad dream, struggling to come to terms with what was happening, and hoping to wake up.

My family and friends were encouraging and stood by my side, but in the end, the difficult choice to stay positive and carry on with life is always a personal one. In my experience, though, it is possible to carry on.

It’s tough to deal with disappointment, and we always want to figure things out, but if faced with something man or money cannot fix, who do you turn to for answers? I had nowhere to turn but to God. My girlfriend gave me a Bible and told me I would find the answers I was looking for in it. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else,” I read, “and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33) I set out to keep my end of the bargain, and God has been faithful to keep His.

I’ve learned that He isn’t surprised by our moments of pain in the valleys; in fact, He’s quietly waiting for us to call out to Him so He can enlighten our darkness. It’s one thing to be a Christian, and another to truly know who Jesus is.

God showed me that He cared as much about the condition of my spirit as that of my paralyzed body. Before my injury, I was easily distracted by the things of this world, and I got my happiness and security from them. Now I know that none of this compares to the love of Jesus, which comforts to the uttermost.

He will heal the wounds and sicknesses of our souls and plant seeds of hope in the most difficult conditions. His light will shine into the deepest valleys. “[He] is our refuge and strength and a present help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.—Eleanor Roosevelt

Insurance or assurance

I came across an article about the difference between “insurance” and “assurance,” which got me thinking. Is God out insurance or our assurance?

Having God in our lives is a form of insurance. We know that no matter what happens, He will be with us and bless us for trusting Him. “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:38–39) and, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28).

But in my day-to-day life, particularly when I’m faced with a decision or problem, what I want and need even more is assurance for the short term. God gives us that, too. He promises us guidance (Psalm 32:8), supply of our needs (Philippians 4:19), and grace and strength in difficult times (2 Corinthians 12:3). He also offers the assurance, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) —and that is as true in the immediate circumstance as it will ever be.

Life is a series of situations and decisions. When we focus on the uncertainties, we become paralyzed. But when we take our problems to God and look to Him in our decision making, His assurances propel us in the right direction. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God … and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Who knows what the coming year will bring? Probably a mix of surprises, successes, setbacks, and some sleepless nights. But through it all, God wants to be both our insurance and our assurance—insurance in the long term, and assurance in the short.

insurance: coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

assurance: the state of being assured: as a: security b: a being certain in the mind c: confidence of mind or manner: easy freedom from self-doubt or uncertainty

Definitions courtesy of merriam-webster.com

Self-preservation?

I once saw a TV show set in Great Britain during the early part of World War II. The Nazis had defeated France, and the British expected imminent invasion. For some, the uncertainty, the fear of the future, and the feeling that they needed to take care of their own led them to act in ways they wouldn’t have in their normal day-to-day lives. They showed less concern for others, many hoarded, others stole, and some even committed murder!

Other people, in contrast, reacted in a completely different manner. They weren’t heroic because they performed great deeds; they were heroic because they performed small deeds selflessly. They faced their difficulties with dignity. They helped one another. They banded together as a community, looking out for the welfare of their neighbours and sharing what they had with those in need.

Seeing the contrast between the two types of responses brought home the challenges we face when we are in uncertain times or difficult situations. In times of disorientation, it’s natural for people to feel concerned for themselves. While everyone won’t respond in the same way, the selfish human instinct for self-preservation takes a more prominent role for some people.

When all around us is unstable, it’s natural to become destabilized ourselves. When what felt like solid ground begins to feel like shifting sand, the fear can be gripping.—Fear of the future, fear of the changes being, or about to be, thrust upon us. If we allow fear to overpower faith, our trust in God’s care tends to diminish. Once that happens, then the feeling that we must take control of events and take matters into our own hands becomes more prominent. This isn’t necessarily bad, since the “fight or flight” instinct is built into our nature, and we automatically respond to perceived danger with self-preserving moves.

The challenge we face, though, is finding the right balance between our human nature and our spiritual nature. As Christians we are “new creatures” who possess more than just human nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have God’s Spirit dwelling within us (1 Corinthians 3:16). We abide in Jesus and He abides in us (John 15:4). So, our responses to circumstances and events should be influenced by that indwelling. While we may feel naturally driven toward self-preservation, the Spirit can temper that reaction, so that we can find the balanced response—one which is compatible with Christ’s nature. (Galatians 5:22–23)

This isn’t easy, because our human nature is so … well, human. It’s our default setting. Being concerned for someone else or their need, situation, or struggle isn’t naturally our first priority. Because of this, there is the danger that we will minimize or even completely ignore someone else’s needs in favor of our own. Taking care of your needs and the needs of your loved ones isn’t wrong. But as disciples of Jesus, filled with the Spirit of Jesus, we should step back from focusing on our own needs and look also to the needs of others. Philippians 2:4–5 says: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

To the finish line!

Author unknown

We can find inspiration from the life of John Stephen Akhwari, as told in Bud Greenspan’s book 100 Greatest Moments in Olympic History.

When the winner crossed the finish line in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic marathon, the officials and spectators thought that had been the highlight of the race. Then, an hour later, John Stephen Akhwari, a runner from Tanzania, entered the stadium. Bloodied and bandaged from a fall, and with a dislocated knee, he limped painfully.

As Akhwari made his way around the track in the setting sun, the remaining crowd began to cheer loudly. When he crossed the finish line, you would have thought by the roar of the crowd that Akhwari had been the victor.

Later, when asked why he had not dropped out, Akhwari replied, “I don’t think you understand. My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

When you’re bruised and bloodied by life, press on; your Creator did not send you here to start the race, but to finish it! “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1–2)

Dr. A. B. Meldrum put it this way: “Bear in mind, if you are going to amount to anything, that your success does not depend on the brilliancy and the impetuosity with which you take hold, but upon the everlasting and sanctified bull-doggedness with which you hang on after you have taken hold.” Or in other words, “Fight the good fight of faith!” (1 Timothy 6:12)

The Scottish minister and hymnist George Matheson was someone else who didn’t quit, despite the onset of blindness. His advice: “We conquer—not in any brilliant fashion—we conquer by continuing.”

Keep going, no matter what the cost. Keep fighting, no matter what bruises you get. Keep running, no matter how many times you stumble and fall. Your cuts and bruises and scrapes and scars are medals of honour in God’s sight, signs that you had the faith, courage, determination, and commitment to keep going even when it was tough! You may have fallen, but you refused to quit.

At the end of the race, you’ll be able to say, like the apostle Paul: “My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.” (Acts 20:24)

Faith in times of crisis

No matter how devastating, irreversible, or hopeless things seem when you’re facing a major setback or a life-threatening situation, you can choose to continue to actively trust in Jesus and refuse to let go of that abiding trust. Faith isn’t the absence of fear; faith is what overcomes fear.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. We wouldn’t be hoping for something if we already had it in our hands. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) We wouldn’t need evidence that something is real if we could see it with our eyes.

You know that God will ultimately make things right in the next life, but that knowledge doesn’t lessen the struggles of possibly facing very painful experiences or death. At this moment in time it’s not the next life that you are having to deal with, it’s the present.

It can be pretty scary when you’re in a bad situation and you can’t see any natural way out of the dilemma. But that’s when faith comes to the fore. You just have to keep believing and trusting, no matter what things look like.

You have to keep walking on the solid ground of what God has told you to do in spite of dire circumstances, knowing that no matter how hopeless it looks or how bad things get, Jesus has you in His arms.

You may feel afraid of what you’re facing. You may not see anything you can do to fix the situation you’re in. But God’s intervention in your life isn’t based on your self-confidence. It’s based on your belief in Him and your trust in His unlimited power, goodness, and love.

You just have to believe that God can bring about what is best in His time and His way, if not in this life, then in the life to come, because you trust Him. Faith knows what is most important to know: “God will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

None of us know what lies ahead. We often can’t know if that setback we’re facing or the things we’re suffering will be gone in a minute or a month, or if they will last a lifetime. What faith knows is that Jesus will not leave us comfortless; He’ll be there walking with us.

Jesus is proud of us when we look at the waves and the winds of adversity and do like Peter did with Him. Peter said to Jesus, “Bid me come out to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28) He was ready to jump right into the challenges because he’d seen God’s power in Jesus and was ready to put himself into those hands that he trusted would never fail him.

What are the challenges that you’re facing? What impossible situations are looming big in your life? Will you step out on the waters to meet Jesus right now so that His power can be manifested in your life? Take the step of faith, and even if you feel that momentary sinking feeling at times, you only have to call out to Him and He’ll bring you through in His perfect time and way.