Lately I have been stressed and worried. I have been fighting to maintain peace within because of all the “what ifs” that are running through my head. I have been wanting encouragement, even praying that God will provide someone into my day that will offer the encouragement that I need and that He would just give me a message.
Well, it didn’t really seem like anyone came along, but I did some reading in my Bible and was reminded of who God is and what He does for us.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
God comforts us in all our troubles. Are you having troubles in marriage? Finances? With you family? Are you sick? Is someone else sick? Have you lost someone important to you? God comforts us in all our troubles. He is available for us to seek Him in every moment and He comforts us. I love the present tense use of this word. It doesn’t say that God “will” comfort us, it says that he “comforts” us; that means not matter our circumstance, God can comfort us if we look to Him.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus” Romans 15:5
God gives us endurance and encouragement. That means when we feel like we can’t possibly go on any more, we can. God can help us endure and give us encouragement along the way. Sometimes encouragement comes from the Bible, sometimes directly from God, sometimes through another person, and sometimes through nature. God helps us to endure and be encouraged if we look to Him.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
He is the God of hope. That means our hope needs to be in Him and not our circumstances and we will never lose it. He fills us with joy and peace for the benefit of us overflowing with hope. That means joy and peace come from God and not having all the right circumstances. Not only does God want us to have hope, He wants us to “overflow with hope”, that sounds amazing!
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27
God gives us peace. Not money, not love, not the perfect job, not the perfect house, not good health; peace comes from God.
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy1:7
Here is something God didn’t give us… timidity. God made us to be powerful, loving, and disciplined. He designed us to use self-discipline and I think part of this is because fear is going to be there in our life. He didn’t make us to fear, but we will unless we stay disciplined against our feelings. God gave us a spirit of power and it is our job to operate in it.
Sometimes encouragement comes from a friends, sometimes a book, hopefully today some of you were able to be encouraged by this.
Bonnie says
Love how you pointed out that He gives us peace. This week my focus was on the woman with the issue of blood and Jesus told her to go in peace, the very last thing. Love when God put things together.
Your neighbor at Faith Filled Fridays
Stephanie says
Thanks Bonnie. I had the same thing today, every article I seemed to read was about encouragement from God!! Feel like I’m starting to get the message 🙂