God Hasn't Missed the Exit

This past Thursday I presented a message to a group of women in our local M.O.M.S. meeting about hanging on through the hardships of life.  Many women came to me afterwards to share their hardships and concerns.  It was amazing to see how God was using each one to perfect His glory in them.  But when we walk through hard times, we sometimes miss sight of the fact that God is indeed working His plan together for our good (Romans 8:28).  We let the heaviness of our situation weigh us down so much that our focus shifts from depending on God to nursing our wounds inflicted by our hard place.

Is that God's plan for us?  Does He want us to give more time and attention to our rough experience, which in essence is a form of worship, or does He want us to shift our focus and attention on Him, offering a sacrifice of praise even in the midst?  I know He understands the human side of our living and that He expects that we will feel uncomfortable emotions from time to time.  Nonetheless, I believe He expects us to fix our eyes on Him.  Depend on Him.  Trust in Him, which brings us to a place of peace because our burden becomes light when we release our situation to God.

This action of faith is what it means to hang on through the hardship.  God hasn't missed the exit.  He isn't lost.  He hasn't been defeated nor will He ever be.  He is sovereign.  He is in ultimate control over our life.  He orders our steps.  He is also good.  God is a good God.  The fact that He is good is unchangeable.  His thoughts towards us are good.  His plans are good.  His goodness lasts forever.  And finally, our God is at work.  Through each experience we face, God is at work in us, accomplishing His good plan in and through us for us and for His greater good.  Nothing is impossible with Him.  So as you think about your life this week, first give praise to God for all He's done, then rest in the peace of God's good and sovereign plan for your life!

Dear Lord, I pray for those experiencing hardship.  Lord, would You please meet our needs completely?  Would You give us a tangible touch to inspire and motivate us to fix our eyes on You.  Sometimes we just need that reminder, but You know this oh great and mighty God.  You know that hope deferred makes the heart sick.  I pray that You would move quickly, that Your answers would be made clear, and I pray that we don't miss what You are perfecting and completing in our life as we wait on You.  Our trust is in You.  Our hope is in You.  We offer a praise of thanksgiving to You as we remember that You are a faithful on-time God! 

 Application Steps

1.  Center your heart and mind on the goodness of God.  Make a list of the goodness of God demonstrated in your life.  Give God thanks for all He has done.  And thank Him for all He is doing and is going to do on your behalf.  Choose to fix your eyes on Jesus.  Remember He is interceding for you continually.  Your needs are known by God.

2.  Pursue others.  When I am feeling the pressure of my situation, I want to retreat and hide away where no one else is exposed to my pain.  But I believe God moves in powerful ways when we take our eyes off of our own struggle and reach out to others by offering words of encouragement and by sharing the goodness of God with them.  People need to know there is hope in Christ.  And there is.  And through the hardship, God displays His great glory which is a testimony to His goodness as He sustains us.  Share a cup of tea with someone else who needs prayer.  Make a phone call to encourage them.  Send a note through the mail to let them know you are thinking about them.  These gestures go a long way.

3.  The greatest breakthrough we may experience as we press through a hard place is through offering a sacrifice of praise to God.  Before you ask God to do anything in your situation, first a take a moment to praise Him and acknowledge His goodness in your life.  Shower Him with your words of love and adoration.  Speak of His splendid character.  Exalt His name through your praise.  This act of faith, lifts us out of our slump by encouraging us to remember that God is bigger than our situation.

Additional Encouragement

We sang Everlasting God by The Fellowship Church in our worship service this past weekend.  I cannot escape the lasting impression it had on me as I thought about many things in my life.  My resolve to trust the Lord and to remain confident that I will see His goodness was renewed as I surrendered myself to Him.  May you be encouraged like I was as you allow these words to wash over you!



Many Blessings!

Dori