This quote was on my calendar this morning..."I know things are tough right now, but just remember, every flower that ever bloomed had to go through a whole lot of dirt to get there!" (Barbara Johnson, taken from Every Time I My Act Together The Curtain Comes Down!)
And yesterday, I read this from a devotional from Joyce Meyers..."I believe that every time we feel frustration, it means we've really stopped relying on God. That might sound like a bold statement to you, but think about it: God's given you and me His Holy Spirit and His grace to help us walk through anything that comes our way. Frustration hits when we stop depending on Him and try to make something happen our own way." She went on to say..."Depending on God may be difficult, but it's the key to the victory we need every single day of our lives."
Galatians 5:16; 25 (KJV) encourages us to, "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." I like how The Message translation words verse 25, "Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." The word implications, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, comes from the verb implicate which means to entwine or interweave. The Spirit of God needs to be entwined and interwoven into our every day lives. It will help us through any situation and help us to avoid being entangled with sin. Like it says in Galatians 5:1 (KJV), "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free , and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Stand firm, persevere and be persistent in living for God. I like what the Greek Lexicon says about the word liberty in verse 1, "true liberty is living as we should not as we please". When we walk in the Spirit, we allow the Spirit of God to lead and guide our steps.
Sometimes in life, things come our way that we don't understand. Like I always say, "I may not understand the whys, but I know that God is in control." Like a flower has to push through a lot of dirt until it gets to the point that is blooming beautifully, sometimes we have to endure a lot if things in order to get to the point of greatness that God has for us. But, if we continue to trust Him and walk int he Spirit, we will bloom beautifully for His glory!
I believe that everything we go through has purpose. James 1:2-4 (KJV) says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." The trials we face teach us to endure things without complaining. So, we need to let that patience or endurance without complaining have its complete work in our lives. So that we can be complete and free from sin and not be destitute and empty.
I just love how the Word of God encourages, strengthens and leads us. I also love the fact that no matter what we face, the Word of God has the answer! What an awesome God we serve! He is great & greatly to be praised! ♥
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