Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
August 7, 2021
Read Romans 5:1-5
1 Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3 But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5 This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Good Morning! Open your heart to the love of God!
It felt very good to sleep in my own bed last night. I thank God for the blessings which allowed me to go on this trip with my family, and I hope that my blessings will allow similar trips in the future. As a Star Trek fan of many years, I remember an episode that had “God” (an alien being, NOT God) taking away everyone’s pain and allowing the person to walk around in a blissful state. Captain Kirk refused to take part in this cleansing because “I need my pain, it’s part of my strength.” Jesus teaches us that following him will not produce an idyllic life without problems, but that we will have the support we need to endure.
Think about things that are easy for you. Typically, we quickly lose interest in something that requires no work to accomplish. Even though we often complain, we need to be challenged because this is how we grow. Beginning as infants, we push our boundaries and make the next step. Studies show that as we age, we need to purposefully continue to try new things to make our brains stay active and engaged with the world around us. I could fill a book with my failures: recipes that flopped, projects that were never completed, and even life choices that ended in a way that I hadn’t imagined. I have continued to learn and grow through all of these struggles because Christ has been with me to pick me up when I felt I couldn’t take that next step.
Hope springs eternal for Christians. We have been promised life eternal with our Lord and Savior. Even in our darkest moments, the light is shining brightly when we call out to Jesus. Life is hard sometimes, but Hard is Good. We need our pain and our struggles to grow into the being that God sees inside each of us. Never give up! Keep your heart focused on the promises of God.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. Help us when we struggle to turn our worries to you and trust that everything will be okay. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: In my suffering, God can lead me to hope.
Hard is Good! Pastor Liz
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