God Says... "You are not alone."

By Dusty (Reflections on the Life of a Christian)

Alone. Image by SSpivak. Courtesy of stock.xchng.

Have you ever felt alone? Have you ever thought you were swimming against the current of life? Have you ever said: "No one understands me." or "No one wants me around." or "No one cares."

I have, and I would venture to say most everyone has at some point. Maybe it was during your childhood or teenage years. It could have been as you were going through a very difficult situation. Or perhaps, it is because you seem to struggle with what others take for granted.

This may seem like a pat "Christian" answer, but you are NOT alone. No matter the circumstance. God cares for you, and He is there with you.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Some may respond and say, "God is not a 'real' person. He's up there, and I am down here going through 'xyz' all alone." Others might feel as though God has never been there for them or done anything good for them.

I'm sure Job could have felt that way when he lost his farm, his family, and his health. I imagine Daniel may have wondered about it as he was thrown into a lion's den after being caught praying. Maybe Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego feared such just before they were thrown into the fiery furnace....Or even Paul as he was imprisoned.

There are so many accounts in scripture of God's people going through trials, standing alone, and needing Him. In every one of them, God was there and He came through for them. But I would say none of them would have elected to suffer as their preferred method/solution. I am sure every one of them would have chosen to skip the bad situations all together, but that did not happen... but they were not alone... and God had a plan... and His plan was good.

I don't know what you are facing. I don't know what it is causing you to feel as if you are all alone. Whatever it is, I encourage you to trust God with it. He is there for you. The problem may not disappear. You may still struggle and suffer, but He will see you through... and His outcome will outshine your expectations.

It has for me. More than once. Never how I would have chosen, but always in a manner that has brought me further along in my journey. He has strengthened me, matured me, and blessed me. I have come to know: I am not alone for He is there with me.

Will you trust Him? Will you seek His companionship? Will you allow Him to see you through to the other side... even when things are not going your way?

Dusty Rayburn is a lay minister and fellow blogger. He lives in Locust Fork, Alabama, has been married six years and has one amazing daughter. In his words: "I am a Christian. I am not perfect, nor do I imagine I ever will be. My God is perfect. I am forgiven. I am loved. I am His." You can find him on Twitter and at Reflections on the Life of a Christian.

Be Calm

By Pat

Yesterday was a windy, rainy day, and as I looked out my kitchen window, I noticed a little hummingbird at the feeder on my deck. She sat there on the feeder drinking the sugar water, seemingly oblivious to the nasty weather. As the rain beat down and the wind shook the feeder about, she sat there calmly until she was done drinking. I found myself wishing I was more like that little bird...

Oftentimes when storms rage around me, I retreat in fear until calm, sunny weather returns. Instead of keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus, I allow my fears and worries to overtake me and, like Peter, I let the storms through me off focus. I remove my eyes from Jesus, and find myself unable to find peace in my life in the midst of the storms. I need to be like that tiny little hummingbird, and just hang on! For it's when we turn from Jesus that fear overtakes us and we begin to sink. But just as He did with Peter, Jesus will reach to us. We need only keep focused on Him!

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you."  (Psalm 56:3)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

God Says... "Don't Judge Me, But I'll Judge You!"

By Kely Braswell (Dangerous Breeze)

You Say: "Other people have so many problems. Why can't they get over their issues?""

God Says: Look a little closer. Judge not, lest you be judged. Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment"

I’ve got a huge problem.

One of my friends is a pedophile, and I don’t know it.

Perhaps two. Or more.

And what’s more, I’ve been nice to him. (or her).

And I have another problem.

One of my friends is having an affair. And I don’t know that either.

And there may be more than one.

And one of my friends has a deep problem with obsessive lust. Actually, many, many of my friends do. They view pornography, ALL the time.

But I’m not sure — at least not always sure — which ones they are.

A couple are alcoholics. A few more do drugs of one kind or another.

I can’t believe I hang out with these people. And I even love them.

They sit right beside me, every week, in church. If I knew it, I'd blow them up.

But there’s a dark secret in their lives, too, and they don’t know it.

Unaware, they are. (As Yoda would say.)

One of their friends is very, very selfish. One of their friends judges others. One of their friends has pride. And anger issues. And can be very impatient with his kids, sometimes in an incredibly jerkish, scary way.

And they may not know it, because their friend has learned to hide it pretty well, especially in a group. Especially in a “christian” group. Really well, at church, especially.

And on top of all that, their friend is a pastor.

And he is me.

Right there in their midst.

If they only knew.

"Kely is a church planting team trainer with Antioch Ministries, International." He has a B.S. in Secondary Education, and he’s a lawyer on top of that (go figure that combination!). He has also been an overseas church planter off and on for the last 20 years. Kely is a husband and father to six, and enjoys running, reading and writing. You can find more of his writing over at his blog: Dangerous Breeze.

What Example?

By Pat

I often speak of my granddaughter, Kendra, who lives with us. She is six years old now, and is the source of many lessons. God uses her to reveal things to me about myself. Kendra follows me everywhere I go most of the time she's home, and in many little ways, she is like me, just by watching and imitating me. When she gets out of the shower, she slathers on body lotion, just like me. She uses brown mustard-just like me, and she likes to put potato chips on her sandwiches-just like me. There are many more examples...and as much as it delights me to see this, it also scares me.

Just as Kendra picks up these harmless little habits and rituals to imitate me, I have to wonder what characteristics I have that I DON'T want her to imitate. Do I exhibit patience when I am pressured? Not always. Am I calm when I have many things to get done? Not always. Do I listen without interruption when someone is talking in order to hear the whole story? Do I speak gently, show kindness and consideration for the feelings of others? Think before I speak? Not always. Do I show Kendra what Jesus looks like in every aspect of my day-to-day life? Sad to say, but no, not always.

I want Kendra to see and hear Jesus when she's with me. As she grows up, I want her to read her Bible daily, just like me. I want her to pray diligently, just like me. I want her to love, and give, and listen and care. I want her to think before she speaks, look before she leaps, and put other people first. I need to be the example that will make God proud, but I can't do it without His help. And so, I will continue to pray every day that God will help me to show her every day, in every way, what it means to follow Jesus, so that someday she will say, "God is the most important thing in my life"... just like me.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

God Says... "I give you my wisdom."

By Jason S (Connecting to Impact)

School for me was not that difficult. I was intuitive enough to know how to give the teachers what they wanted on assignments or at least sound coherent. I had a pretty good knack for hearing in class what would be important to remember and taking notes so tests didn’t require too much studying to get an ‘A.’

Now, if you experienced the opposite, don’t feel jealous. I received little to no common sense in most areas and did not develop any “street smarts” of any kind. I was young when I got married and thrown into a whole new realm called “the real world.” There were thousands of situations then and now where I have felt woefully inadequate, nervous, unprepared, and downright stupid.

This is my point. It’s very rare for any of us not to feel stupid at certain times or about certain things. It may lead us to tell God, “I’m stupid,”  but He has a response (He always has a response)—“I give you my wisdom.”

Too much “book smarts” can leave you in analysis paralysis. Too much “street smarts” can leave you jaded and cynical. The good news is that God gives us divine wisdom to meet every challenge in our life if we let Him, and there are no negative side effects.

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