Want to Stand Strong in the Storm? Beware of these 4 Red Flags that Might Pull You Under

We all face storms in life. The loss of a job, loss of a loved one, serious medical issues...no one is exempt. 

If we're not prepared, we can be beaten down and battered around by the force of the problems coming at us, but it doesn't have to be that way. We can stand strong in the face of adversity. In fact, we can more than endure it, we can grow and thrive in times of trouble.

There are things we can do to prepare for hardships and things we can do during the storm if we know the red flags to watch out for.

Pre-storm Preparations

1. Spend time with God daily. Read the Word, pray and trust Him to walk you through each day.
2. Understand that hard times hit us all and be resolved to go through them in a way that honors God.
3. Speak words of life to yourself. Remind yourself about how God has brought you through storms in the past. Reassure yourself every day of God's great love for you and His faithfulness to provide all that you need in every circumstance.
4. Surround yourself with strong Believers who will encourage you and pray for you through the storm.

Red Flags in the Middle of the Storm

1. Lack of desire to read your Bible, pray and seek the Lord. 

• Go back to step 1 in Pre-storm Preparations. Be more determined than ever to stick close to God. Spend extra time in the scriptures and in prayer.

2. Finding yourself having negative thoughts about God's love for you, doubting His goodness and blaming Him for your trouble.

• Go back to step 2 in Pre-storm Preparations. Remember that Jesus said, "In this life you will have trouble, but be encouraged! I have won the battle over the world." (John 16:33) and "Remember that I am always with you until the end of time" (Matthew 28:20)

3. Increased grumbling, complaining and snapping at others.

• Go back to step 3 in Pre-storm Preparations. Recall God's past provisions and blessings. Write them down and give him thanks. Practice Gratitude. Remember Philippians 4:6-7 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

4. The desire to isolate yourself. Satan would like nothing better than for you to try to stand alone.

• This is where step 4 comes into play. Isolated, we are vulnerable. Together we are stronger. "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9,10, 12)

Yes, life will throw some pretty hard things at us. But if we know that we can prepare ourselves in advance. If we know the red flags to watch for and the way to counteract those flags, we will walk through the storm with courage and boldness, coming out on the other side with a faith that withstands the storm.

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Shackles or Wings?

Shackles or Wings:
Discerning between Conviction and Condemnation

How can we tell the difference between holy conviction and unholy condemnation?

Sometimes it difficult to tell whether the guilt or shame we're feeling is conviction or condemnation. That's because they often feel the same to us. It's a feeling that we've done something wrong or that we are not doing something we should be doing. It's not a fleeting feeling, but one that sticks with you until it's addressed. To understand the difference, let's first define the two according to the Bible.

Holy conviction is from God and is specific. It's meant to make you aware of sin in your life and push you toward repentance. God doesn't want anything to come between you and Him. He wants openness and intimacy in your relationship. His desire is to deepen your spiritual faith and transform your character into the character of Jesus Christ. He brings conviction to help and not harm you.

Unholy condemnation, on the other hand, comes from Satan and is vague, bring a sense of guilt, shame and doubt without a sense of why you're feeling that way. Satan wants to drive a wedge between you and God. He wants to heap guilt and sorrow on you and steal your joy. His aim is to make you doubt God and His love for you. Condemnation is meant to tear you down and ultimately destroy you.

"As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting.  For you felt a godly grief...For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (ESV)

So, when that feeling of unease about ourselves, our attitudes, our actions or our worthiness hit, how do we know whether it's conviction from God or condemnation from Satan?

First we ask the Holy Spirit to give us discernment in the matter. We remember that holy conviction is specific. We ask ourselves, "Does this uneasiness I'm feeling point me to a certain thing in my life that I know is not pleasing to God? Does it lead me to repentance and make me aware of a change I need to make? If this is what you're experiencing, then you know what you need to do - repent. Then thank God for loving you enough to correct you and keep you close to Him.

If, on the other hand, what you are experiencing is more accusatory and heaped with self-loathing, but you can't pinpoint why,  you are most likely experiencing unholy condemnation. You may feel like that condemnation is coming from within your own mind, like there's something terribly wrong with you and that there is probably no hope for you. This kind of thinking is a result of Satan's attempt to control you and bring you down.  The solution is to turn to God. Ask Him to help you stand strong in the face of the enemy. Dig into God's word and agree with who He says you are in Christ. Ask Him to help you recognize the lies you have been believing and to replace them with His truth.

What does the Bible say about condemnation?

Romans 8:1 tells us that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

1 John 3:20 lets us know that "If our own hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything."

John 3:17 says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

And Psalm 34:22 promises that "The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned."

I hope this post has been helpful in helping you discern the difference between conviction and condemnation; One gives you shackles and the other gives you wings.

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Gritty Faith

What is gritty faith? Gritty faith stands strong in the face of trouble, resolves to trust God, come what may and is willing to do whatever it takes to follow God's leading, no matter what. It's about determination, resolve and persistence. Gritty faith doesn't run in the face of risk or danger because we know that God fills us with strength to overcome every circumstance. Gritty faith advances. Grit don't quit! 

Have you ever felt like just giving up? I have. As a whole, my life has been and is pretty good, but since late 2019, I have been hit with one physical ailment after another. Several of these ailments are caused by an incurable disease that has very few treatment options. I have to admit that sometimes I get so worn out and stressed from dealing with it all that I want to give up. 

But I don't - I won't - I refuse! 

Why? Because I know who I am and I know whose I am. Jesus gave His all for me and I will give my all for Him until the day he transfers me from this planet to my home in Heaven. That's GRIT! 

Grit can be described as courageous, bold, tough, determined, resolute, purposeful, unfaltering, unswerving, unwavering and persevering. 

Life can be hard, even for those who follow Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33) He ought to know. He walked this earth and from the time He stepped into ministry, he was plagued with trouble and ultimately, hatred, betrayal and crucifixion. Yet he did not back down or back away from His purpose, which was to take away the sins of those who will come to Him. If the Son of God was not exempt from hardship, neither are we. 

What does the Bible have to say about Grit? 

Although the Bible does not appear in the Bible, the following verses clearly indicate that we should develop grit in our faith walk.

• Perseverance: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 (NIV) 
  
  
• Steadfastness: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NASB)
  
  
• Faithfulness: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10 (NASB) 

So, let's begin to develop gritty faith. This blog will be dedicated to building up our grit to stand strong in the face of adversity and to fuel our faith to more trust in God 

If you're going through a rough time, I would love to pray for you. Please feel free to leave a comment below this post.

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What are you wearing today?

How many times have we stood in front of a closet full of clothes trying to decide what to wear? 

Did you know that God wants us to have a new wardrobe?

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."

Colossians 3:12‭-‬17 NLT

 

What are you wearing today?

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But I Can't Forgive!

One of the hardest things to do is forgive someone who hurt you deeply...especially if it seems they will never have to pay for what they did.

Somewhere in the back of our mind, we think that holding on to unforgivness will hurt them. It won't. Unforgivness hurts only us.

Forgiving doesn't mean what they did was okay. It means you want to be obedient to God and forgive. According to the verses below, God places a might high value on forgiveness. 

I'm not saying forgiveness is easy, but it's necessary as a child of God. Praying for the willingness and ability to forgive will open the door for you to step into obedience in this area.

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Contentment

Why is it that we are seldom satisfied with what we have? Perhaps it's our propensity to compare ourselves to others. Or maybe it's a knee-jerk reaction to all the advertising we see everywhere we look.

No matter the reason, the results are the same; a dissatisfaction with what we have or where we currently are in life. Usually resulting in a frantic attempt to get "that thing" that we think will make us happy.

Here's what God says about that...

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5 NIV

He has promised never to leave us, never to turn his back to our needs, but to be with us always - every minute of every day. As a good Father he understands what we need and will give it to us. Not what we WANT, but what we NEED. In his wisdom, he knows what affect granting all our whims might do to us. Knowing what is best and most beneficial to us, he gives us everything we need for a good life, beginning with a relationship with him through Jesus Christ, who came and died to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind, opening the door for the greatest adventure of our lives; walking in step with God and enjoying the love, freedom, peace, healing, acceptance and the contentment he brings.

Things will never satisfy our longing hearts, but God will. Have you reached out to him? Do you want to experience this way of life? Just invite him into your life, understanding that he is ready and waiting to accept you as his child and begin that step-by-step walk with you.

Let today be the first day of a remarkable new you and an awesome adventure. You will be enriched in every way and find true contentment.

Just ask.

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How Quickly We Turn

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38

These were the words of a patriotic crowd in Jerusalem just a week before Jesus was crucified. Unfortunately, they were sadly mistaken about Jesus' mission here. They thought he came to free the Israelites from the rule of the oppressive Roman empire. But, his mission was far greater than that. He came to free mankind from the tyranny of sin. He came to restore us to right standing with God. Jesus' willing sacrifice on the cross to die for our sins opened the door for anyone who believes in him and receives him as their Lord and Savior to enjoy a blessed life and eternity in Heaven after we leave this planet.

The amped-up crowd in Jerusalem that day were sorely disappointed that Jesus was not who they thought he was and did not do what they thought he would. For in just a few days, they were shouting, "Crucify him. Crucify him!"

We might shake our heads at the way they so quickly went from worshiping Jesus to condemning him, but let's stop and think for a moment.

Have you ever assumed that Jesus (God) would do something in your life, only to be disappointed that he didn't act the way you thought he would or should? How did that affect your attitude toward Him?

Here's the truth - God has a wonderful plan for our lives. He is not at our beck and call like some genie that is required to do our bidding. The issue is not his failure, but our unrealistic or misinformed understanding of who he is and what he wants to do in our lives, which is to make us one of his family and to transform our sinful nature until it matches the sinless nature of Jesus Christ.

This happens naturally as we lean into his word, into prayer and into obedience to his directions. These daily practices will  allow that transformation to take place. It's an ongoing process, which will only be fully achieved when we finally go to be with him. In the meantime, we live under the blessings of our relationship with God - never alone, because he has promised never to leave us or forsake us.

So, the next time God doesn't act the way we think he should, let's recall that he is God and will do what's best for us. 

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