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by Gail Rodgers
When life throws that curve ball and you have the wind knocked out of you, what do you do? Where do you turn?
When we were kids, we used to put a small hole in each end of an egg and then blow the contents out. The egg looked like any other in the bowl, but it was hollow. When pressure was applied to it, it broke easily into shattered pieces. I often think of that egg as I field life's curve balls and as I watch others do the same. A hollowness in our souls will leave us feeling shattered from the pressures of life.
When a relationship becomes strained, when illness robs your days, when your stomach churns with the stress of unpaid bills, when the unexpected happens, do you crumble like a hollow eggshell, or do you know where to find strength for your inner soul?
God's Word, the Bible, has principles for living. Principles written for us by the very God that created us and understands the hollowness that can creep unbidden into our souls. This is not merely positive thinking or visualization, this is help from the God of the universe, the same God that sent His son Jesus to be the source of everything we need to face the curve balls of life.
Listen to the promise for you that comes straight from the heart of Father God:
"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).
Did you hear it? Joy, peace and hope offered to you by the God of hope!! This is not just a promise to "get by" or to be a "survivor" - it's a promise of overflowing with hope and being filled with joy and peace!
Sounds a bit like fluff doesn't it? Is it really possible to be pulled from the pit of despair and overflow with hope? Yes, but it's supernatural. It's God's part; He does it when we do our part.
And what is our part? It's that little phrase sandwiched in between the promise of being filled with joy and peace and the promise of overflowing with hope. Our part is an individual thing: "as you trust in Him."
But how does one trust? In the storms of life, I find people desperately wanting to trust this God that offers hope, but simply not knowing how to when the waves are coming fast and threatening to pull them under.
God gives us the formula in His Word. Listen to it. It comes from the book in the Bible named "Lamentations:"
"Because of the Lord's great love
we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is His faithfulness"
(Lamentations 3:22,23).
When trouble strikes and our hearts grow faint, we so often forget the great love our Father in Heaven has for us and we begin to doubt the goodness of God toward us. When that happens, we are consumed by our stress and our fears and blame God. But when we follow God's formula and recall His great love for us, reminding ourselves daily of His compassion toward us, our hearts gain strength.
God knows the daily need we have to remember His kindness toward us in the middle of our unkind circumstances, so He calls us to focus on it every morning. His compassions that never fail us are His resources to carry us through our day and all the hard points in our present storm.
Has hope, peace and strength vanished in the wind of your storm? His peace, His strength, His wisdom, His understanding, His hope will become yours as you ask Him for it…supernaturally.
As you lean into His great love for you today and lean on His resources, you will not be consumed; you will not be crushed like the hollow eggshell. You will find Him faithful step by step by step. That's trusting.
Never doubt the love and the goodness of God to you. He doesn't promise a storm-free life, but He does promise to be the anchor in the storm so that you will not be overcome! Trust Him daily. Trust Him hourly and learn to trust Him moment by moment. His resources will not only get you through, but you will truly grow to experience Him as the source of hope overflowing "by the power of the Holy Spirit."
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you live life according to His perfect plan. Why not pray this simple prayer and by faith invite Him to fill you with His Spirit:
Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you by directing my own life. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ's death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, we would love to hear about it!
~ Gail Rodgers draws from her own life experience in her roles as wife, mother of three, business woman and as a pastor to women. She has a passion for discovering and sharing how the Scriptures apply in very practical ways where we live and walk each day. She resides in Alberta, Canada with her family. Gail's book Everything You Need is available on GailRodgers.ca . Gail is also a frequent contributor to CWT's Daily Devotionals.
