Ever been here: you have a major event coming up. So you plan. You prepare. You make your list and check it twice. No detail is left undone. Then, in a moment’s notice, everything changes. Circumstances force a change of schedule. Suddenly, it makes no difference how hard you worked. Everything is on hold.
For the past two and a half weeks, I’ve been hard at work preparing to begin videotaping my Legion Bible study teaching series. The open door to begin filming was a huge answer to a long-awaited prayer. Production was scheduled to begin tomorrow. Then ... lightning struck. Literally. Overnight, hundreds of fires broke out from one end of the state to the other. Between the smoke and risk of evacuation and/or power outage, the video producer and I realized we had no choice but to nix the scheduled video shoot.
As difficult as the decision was, I knew there were people dealing with far worse: homes threatened by fires, first responders battling the blaze. As I was praying today for protection over the homes in harm’s way, the firefighters—and for rain (it seems impossible to see rain in the middle of a heatwave, but I am asking anyway because God is the God of the impossible)–as I was praying, I lamented over all of the devastation: the homes in danger; the lives at risk. Then my mind went to all of the people suffering because of the pandemic—this, on top of the economy being hammered by lockdowns. It all seems so overwhelming.
But then I remember: we have a big God. We can trust He is working—even in the midst of all the chaos that is swirling around us. Jesus said,
“My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:17
So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
ESV)
And so I found myself praying for revival—for hearts to turn back to God in the midst of all the chaos. To seek Him when all seems lost.
If we put our hope in this world: whether in our health, or home, or a 401k, things can change in a moment’s notice. It is times like these when we are reminded that there is only one true, everlasting hope–and it can only be found beyond this world. In this life, nothing is guaranteed, but God is the “same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” When we put our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed.
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (Psalms 39:7
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
ESV)
If you are facing a difficulty, here are some favorite passages I turn to in difficult times:
Psalm 91 (when in need of comfort or reminder of God’s protection)
Romans 8:31-39
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep."*) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,* neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(when in need of courage or perseverance)
Ephesians 1:3-14
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.* He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God,* for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God's purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own* by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(when in need of an eternal perspective)
What are some of your favorite ‘go to’ Bible passages?
Shadia Hrichi is an author and speaker passionate for seeing lives transformed by the power of God’s Word. In addition to numerous articles, Shadia is the author of various Bible studies, including her latest study, TAMAR: Rediscovering the God Who Redeems Me, as well as LEGION: Rediscovering the God Who Rescues Me, HAGAR: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me, and Worthy of Love: A Journey of Hope and Healing After Abortion. Shadia holds an MA in Biblical and Theological Studies, as well as an MA in Criminal Justice. Currently residing in northern California, Shadia regularly speaks at churches
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