Don’t Be Afraid, God is in Control

 

Psalm 23:4-5(NLT)
4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

As Children of God, we don’t have to be afraid of what’s to come, nor do we have to fear the unknown. Our only requirement is to trust God as He instructs us in this passage in Psalm 23.  Heavenly Father wants us to know that He is with us always. He will never leave us nor forsake us, in good times and in the bad times.  When we need comfort, Philippians 4:7 tells us that He will give us a peace that passes all understanding. When we need protection, Psalm 110:5 declares that He will stand at our right hand to protect us. He is a mighty and all-powerful God who loves His children, and we can depend on this with our whole hearts.

If these last few years, particularly the last few weeks, have shown us nothing else, it's revealed that the world will constantly sink low and bring about the unexpected. But our God is faithful to those who love Him. We don’t have to walk around shaking in our boots. Ephesians 1:3 says that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings because of our union with Jesus Christ, and through our blessed Redeemer, we are complete!

Passages like Psalm 23 are extremely comforting, especially during the lows in life, because tough times can make us feel lost. They can cause our thoughts to head south of what God has made us in Christ. It’s no secret that our darkest valleys can be found in the unpredictable and unexpected events that life sends our way. Not long ago, one of my dear friends witnessed how quickly things can change when he got a phone call from one of his older sons. He'd been in a car accident and was arrested for drinking and driving. At the time, his son had just graduated from college with a degree in criminal justice and had wanted to be a police officer since childhood. He applied to the police academy in hopes of finally making his dream a reality, but those dreams were shattered. My friend’s son faced mounting court fines and a lawsuit. He withdrew his application from the academy, and watched his dream slip away, all because of one bad decision. 

The unexpected can shift our circumstances quickly. It can take your breath away, because you didn’t see it coming. Although life is constantly proving that in the blink of an eye, things can change, we must never forget that God is always and forever in control. 1Corinthians 10:13(NLT) states, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” This verse lets us see how important it is for us to have faith in God. No matter how volatile and out of control life seems, Romans 8:28(NLT) affirms, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

God has given us His Word to strengthen us during uncertainty and change. Isaiah 40:29(NLT) tells us, “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.” We are His children, and He has equipped us to stand strong through our faith in Him. But if the Word of God is not rooted in our hearts and minds, we can become easy prey to believe or think we're powerless. We can be tricked into thinking that God isn’t going to protect and take care of us, and once we allow this train of thought to spread, fear and doubt make themselves cozy in our minds and hearts. We can’t let this happen. God tells us in Hebrews 11:6 that it is impossible to please Him without faith. We must believe that He exists and that He rewards us.

God is a Rewarder! He loves us, and He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. He did this when we were at our worst. Romans 8:33(NLT) tells 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?” And in Romans 8:38, He puts the icing on the cake by telling us that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from His unconditional, limitless love. None of us have any power of our own, but our merciful God has all power in His hands, and He promises in His Word to use His power to protect and care for us when our faith is in Him. We have the distinct privilege and responsibility to increase our faith in Heavenly Father and here are spiritual practices that can help us to do so:

1-Pray More

Philippians 4:6(NLT) tells us, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” As believers, we are required to pray to God often, and to do so in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. This strengthens our relationship with God and adds to the intimacy we share with Him. Too often, we give the world a higher percentage of our time and energy and not enough to God, and this must change. Proverbs 15:29(NLT) tells us, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.” Not only must we pray for ourselves, but we must pray for others. God is pleased to hear from us our James 5:16 assures us that the prayers of the righteous have wonderful results.

2-Read God’s Word

God’s Word is life to us. His Word is alive, and everything that we need for life and living is contained in it. When times get tough, it is extremely helpful to know scriptures that bring comfort and confidence in God. We need to renew our minds to those scriptures. This means that we should commit them to memory, so God’s Word becomes a part of us. It’s good practice to have a list of your scripture favorites, as well as a hard-copy of God’s Word, near your reach. This way you’re able to grab them for quick reference when you need it most.

3-Keep close to those that encourage you

Proverbs 18:21 warns us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. This demonstrates the potency of the words we speak. It cautions us against speaking negatively about ourselves, and it confirms that friends or associates that are not confident in the Lord may do more harm than good, especially during times of trouble and crisis. We need people in our corners that encourage us to keep our faith firmly planted in God no matter the situation or circumstances. This kind of mindset and attitude pleases God and will help us to stay calm and focused on His goodness and love during the most challenging times of our lives. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Don’t Be Afraid, God is in Control”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Our Hearts Are in God’s Hands

 

Philippians 4:13(NLT)
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

“What was I thinking…giving a man my whole heart, only for him to demolish it.”

Philippians 4:13 is a tremendous source of strength and support, particularly when we face difficulties and tribulations. This is especially true when it comes to experiencing betrayal from a loved one. Like many of you, some of my friends and family members have been on the receiving end of this kind of heartache, and they have endured it more than a few times. I’ve seen them try to minimize the pain, and sometimes they’ve chosen to do this in self-destructive ways. There’s no doubt that the pain of a broken heart is gut-wrenching. The effects of betrayal can leave you traumatized to the point that you don’t want to get out of bed or face the day. You just don’t think you have the strength to make it through. The reality is that pain reveals the extent to which we desperately need the power of God’s love and Word. This the only medicine that can truly heal a broken heart.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27(NLT), through the prophet, Ezekiel, God told His people living in Old Testament times, “26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” During the time of this prophecy, God’s people were in captivity because they sinned against God and chose to turn away from Him. Ignoring His commandments, they hardened their hearts against Him and began to worship idols. After all He had done for them, they chose to be a rebellious people and brought shame to God’s Holy name.

The population of those living in other regions during that time that did not worship our Heavenly Father, and idolatry was rampant among them. God chose the children of Israel as His people, and He set them apart to worship Him alone. His desire was to lavish them with His protection and care and make them an outward demonstration to everyone else of His favor and blessings. We must understand that God’s name is holy, and this is extremely important for every believer to know and trust. Holiness is the greatest of all qualities, and its purity is unequalled. So, God’s name must always be elevated and magnified, because He alone is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor. The Jewish people living during that time defamed His holy name through their disobedience, and He said in Ezekiel 36:20-21(NLT), “20 But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the LORD, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’ 21 Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations.”

God made a promise to them in Ezekiel 36:22-23(NLT), “I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.” In this record of Ezekiel 36, we see the lengths our Heavenly Father went through to help His people, even when they sinned horribly against His Word and love. They totally disregarded Him and didn’t give Him the honor, love, and reverence He so richly deserves. But Ezekiel 36:26 tells us that He gave them a new heart and placed a new spirit in them. This is what many of us need today.   

I remember having a conversation with a woman that had such great heart for God. She was devoted to the Lord, but after her marriage fell apart, she began to fall away from Heavenly Father. She said to me, “I gave my whole heart to my husband, and he just demolished it.” She had been oblivious to her husband’s infidelity until one day she received a phone call from a woman, and she told her that she had a one-year-old son with her husband. The wife was in shock and felt this news had totally dismantled her life. She kept asking why God allowed this to happen to her. Her anger turned to rage every time she thought about the fact that she had no warning, and no time to prepare for this extremely painful heartbreak.

We are happy with God when things go well for us, but when times are rocky and hurtful, many of us blame Him. God doesn’t cause our heartbreak. He isn’t pulling anyone’s strings like a puppet. All of us have free-will choice, and we make our own decisions. Our outcomes in life would be infinitely better if we allow God to guide our decisions and choices, but we don’t always do this. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t punish us. We’re His children, and He wants us to be happy and blessed all the time. When this isn’t the case, we need to remember the record of what God did for His people in Ezekiel 36.

Lamentation 3:23 tells us that God’s mercies are new every morning. And only His promise of newness in Jesus Christ can bring hope when you’re struggling with pain, shame, and hurt. Relying on His power and strength instead of your own is the way to invite His healing and restoration into your life. Jesus Christ invites us in Matthew 11:28 to bring all our burdens to him. He cares for us and wants us to give our lives to God through him. This is what he did to save us. He offered up his life for our sins, and three days after his sacrifice, God resurrected him from the dead. Trusting in God’s resurrection power and believing that He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins transfers us from death to life! We are born again when we believe in God’s love in Christ with our whole hearts. So, when our hearts are broken, we can be assured that God can give us a new one.

That’s what God promised His people—He assured the Israelites, “I will give you a new heart…I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”  He also promised them, “I will cleanse you from all your impurities, and put my Spirit in you.”  He promised this to a people who’d lost hope. God promised a fresh start, and He made this promise as the Only One who could renew their lives. This is what He will do for us as well. Heavenly Father is glorious, and He created us to give Him glory and to share in this glory as well. When we trust in Him, we receive a new spiritual heart, one that’s cleansed of our sin and despair. No matter what we’ve been through, our pain doesn’t define us. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, our hearts are in God’s hands, and if we will trust in Him alone, He will fill our hearts with His love. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

 “Our Hearts Are in God's Hands”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Real Love Doesn’t Hurt

 

1Corinthians 13:4-7(NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Abuse hurts – love doesn’t!
You are not the victim; you are victorious, says the Lord!

 

1John 4:8 tells us that God is love. Therefore, we have no other choice but to conclude that He most definitely is the preeminent authority on the subject. Our Heavenly Father is fully transparent, and He doesn’t leave us guessing when it comes to how love behaves. In 1Corinthians 13:4, He tells us that love is kind, tender and forgiving. Are you in a relationship that reflects what love is? If so, wonderful but if not, it’s important to be honest about this. One of the reasons that our Heavenly Father informs us about His love is because He expects us to learn to love like Him. When we do, His quality love will boomerang back to us. It’s our responsibility to set this in motion, and the first step is to examine the kind of love we have for ourselves.

We are living in a time where domestic violence is on the rise, and its no secret that most victims are women. Women tend to stay in unhealthy relationships longer and do so for a variety of reasons. Most feel a deep sense of loyalty to their abuser. Where kids are involved, some women are motivated to remain in abusive relationships because of financial support and the welfare of their children. They need the financial help and want the children to have their dads in their lives. There are also other emotional, physical, and psychological issues that may come into play. We must recognize that whatever the issues may be, all of them boil down to the level of faith that we have in God’s love for us.  

John 3:16(NKJV) says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves everyone, including people that do not love Him. He gave His Son to die on the cross as a sacrificial offering for our sins. Because of God’s great love, He did this when we were all at our worst. He offered the life of His only begotten Son for every person that has ever lived or is living today. He doesn’t want anyone to perish in hell but wants everyone to receive the gift of salvation and have eternal life. This gift is given to us through His infinite grace, and this means that you and I can’t do anything to earn the gift of salvation. God freely gives it to all who believe that Christ died on the cross and that God resurrected him from the dead.

God rescued us from darkness through Jesus Christ. This demonstrates His overwhelming love for us all. He wants us to come out of darkness into the glorious light of His love, where we receive power and authority to live abundantly. There’s an extreme benefit to trusting in the Father’s love, and it is the victory in Christ that we enjoy in daily living. This is evidenced as we release our fears, sadness, and doubts over to the Lord Jesus Christ, and have faith that he can handle them.

Fear is bondage, and bondage is being enslaved. This enslavement happens first in our minds and hearts, and then our outward reality begins to match our internal reality. God doesn’t want this for anyone. His Word teaches us in 1John 4:18 that His perfect love will cast out fear. It will totally dismantle fear and get rid of it, but it must be our choice to allow God’s love to work in us this way.

Real love does not hurt or harm us. This is the truth that God has taught us in His Word. Recognize that abuse uses fear as its tactic to enslave us. We’re afraid we’ll be lonely, that we won’t get our needs met, that we will be harmed, and that we can’t make it without the abuser in our lives. These are false beliefs, and we must put God’s Word into our minds and hearts by reading and studying it often. Then we will grow in faith and become spiritually strong.

Adam and Eve forfeited the power and authority that God had given them over to the devil, and the devil has been trying to pull this trick on us ever since. Abuse is always about a person giving away the power of choice that God has given them to someone else. This is a victim mentality, and we can and should pray continually to Heavenly Father to help us get rid of this mindset. We were not created to be victims. Love yourself enough to no longer live beneath your privilege. We were created by God to be victorious through His beloved Son. Heavenly Father has given us this victory, and we must have the faith to claim it for ourselves. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

 “Real Love Doesn’t Hurt”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.