God Upholds

[bluidkiti]

Key Verse
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand. (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

Life can get rough. Sometimes God presents me with challenges that are not easily overcome, and not quickly forgotten. When that happens, it is easy to give in to feelings of doubt that make me question whether God is really in control. I have even caught myself wondering, at times, if it's fair that being a Christian doesn't automatically guarantee that life will go smoothly.

Although life certainly isn't as smooth as I want it to be, God continues to uphold me with his righteous hand. Because I know I can trust Him in all things, I have no fears about what His plan for me may include. More and more lately I find that I have to slow down because of my health. There are times when I feel dismayed about how often having cystic fibrosis precludes me from participating in some aspects of "normal" life.

Over the years I have learned to trust God to lead me safely through unfamiliar territory. As much as I hate to admit it, I realize that those times have been and will continue to be character building experiences. In my times of weakness, whether physical or spiritual, God reminds me of his unfailing strength. He teaches me new ways to lean on Him and trust Him to take care of the details. The path God wants me to follow may not be the smoothest one, but he helps me every step along the way.


Reflecting Pool
What part of your life is not going smoothly right now?

Do you hold onto fear about what life has in store for you?

How has God strengthened you in the past when things got rough?

Excerpted from "Pools of Grace". Copyright (c) 2001-2006. Lauren Beyenhof. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.