WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, TRUST GOD
Bernadette Keene
Today’s Scripture: “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” Psalm 56:3, NLT
Theme: No matter what, I can trust God with everything in my life.
FLOWERS
I marvel at the strength of a flower. That which seems so fragile, and delicate persists and can bend with the change of the wind. There are many different species of flowers, and each type is designed to thrive in its element.
My heart is overwhelmed when I think of God creating a flower. He created and designed flowers and placed them in every corner of the world. From Antarctica to the Arctic (North Pole), and in every place, reaching even to a seemingly barren desert, He placed the gift of flowers. To think that God loves people so much He wants to give everyone a flower...I’m in awe.
SURVIVING IN HIS CARE
Not only are flowers stunning to look at and pleasant to smell, but the resilience it takes for a flower to survive harsh elements serves as a source of comfort and hope for us all. Flowers that survive harsh winter elements and remain breathtaking fascinate me. The Crocus, despite privation, buries its roots deep into the ground under the snow and finds its way out, piercing through the frozen crystals, reaching for its source of life. Even though the elements are harsh, this flower remains resilient, seeking its source of survival, trusting without hesitation that the sun is still there, even though it cannot be seen.
In comparison, so is the human soul resilient. We may feel buried under the hardships of life, yet somehow the soul pierces its way through those dark places, reaching for our source of life, Jesus. In the movie Gravity, Dr. Stone has a moment of lucidity as she faces reality. She may not survive--which leads her to consider God and prayer. My prayer is that we do not wait until we are faced with tragedy to seek God, but that we seek Him daily so that we have are strong in our faith every day. We all go through hard times. It is then that we must root ourselves in the truth of His Word, knowing that even though we cannot see all that He is doing, we can rest assured that He is still there.
Make It Personal: Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed by life or challenging situations today. Maybe you are feeling unseen or like there will never be a brighter day. But the God who makes flowers rise from the depths of the winter snow sees you, loves you, and has a good plan for your life. When you are afraid, put your trust in Him.
Pray: Jesus, help us to trust that You are there in the moments that we feel buried under the weight of the harsh elements of life and seemingly overwhelming circumstances. Restore our faith and confidence to believe in You when we do not see. When we feel like we just can't get up, give us the resilience we need to turn and reach for You, our Source of life. Amen.
Read: Isaiah 12:2; Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 9:10
Weekly Memory Verse: “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” Proverbs 24:16, NLT