Meet Tiffany. A blogger, adventurer, and follower of Christ. In this week’s feature, Tiffany talks about finding unshakable identity, trusting God’s love, and discovering the true blessings of living for Him.
Continue reading “Meet Tiffany | Confidence Without Compromise #35”
Meet Jennifer. A writer, podcaster, and ministry leader. In this week’s feature, Jennifer talks about overcoming shame, being transformed by God’s love, and receiving all that He has for us.
Continue reading “Meet Jennifer | Confidence Without Compromise #17”
Meet Priyanka. A wife and ministry partner, traveler, and follower of Christ. In this weeks feature, Priyanka talks about serving in the missions field, holding onto the truth of God’s Word, and living a surrendered life.
Continue reading “Meet Priyanka | Confidence Without Compromise #12”
Strength:
I know I’m not the only one who is completely lazy when it comes to charging my phone. A typical day involves me waiting until my battery hits 1% then scrambling to plug in my charger before my phone dies. Throughout the day, I notice my phone battery is draining over time, but I don’t make the effort to recharge it until the very last minute.
This seems silly (and inconvenient), yet we do it all the time!
We often act the same way when it comes to reaching out to God. We go about our everyday lives, using our power, our strength, our insight–then all of a sudden, we find ourselves running low. But before the crash–hopefully–we then remember God is there.
Before this realization happens, there’s usually damage that has been done. Stress, fatigue, doubt, worry, anger, and confusion. These emotions are the result of relying on yourself as your power source. These are the negative emotions that lead to rash decisions, mistakes, consequences, and eventually wanting to quit after all that you’ve experienced.
God’s love for you means He will help you endure. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV) instructs us, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” This verse doesn’t just tell us to be brave and be strong–it tells us to stand somewhere. In our faith. Ephesians 6:10 reminds us to be strong in the Lord and mighty in His power. We’re not told to simply be strong and mighty–we’re told strength is found in God and might in His power. Isaiah 26:4 tells us to trust in the Lord forever, for “in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”
This power we receive from God is in God–not just from Him. This means we find it by being plugged into Him. Similar to connecting a phone to a power source, we must connect ourselves to God to receive this power. When you unplug the phone, your device is no longer connected its the power source, and it will stop charging. When we unplug ourselves from God, we are no longer connected to our source, and we will no longer receive His power.
The beauty of relying on God is that His strength is unending. He doesn’t run out of strength, and He wants you to understand this. In Jeremiah 32:27 (NIV), He says, “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” In His Word, God reminds us that He is capable. Nothing can overtake Him. We need to get used to saying, I can’t. God can.
God can take you through it!
You don’t need to sustain your faith alone. You don’t need to maintain anything or anyone on your own. You can’t care for yourself by yourself.
Don’t inconvenience yourself by waiting to trust in God. Power is found in the Lord to cover you in every area. Your physical power and energy. Your emotional and mental ability to overcome hardship. Your helpful qualities and skills. God gives you strength, He develops your strengths, and He sustains your strengths.
Now is the time to partner with God in your life. The love you need is found in Him. God’s love for you is here today. Give your heart to Him, and let Him write an amazing story of your life. Rest in His promises. Know that He has more for you. He will meet your needs. He will secure you now and for eternity in heaven. With Him, you can accomplish more than you can ever accomplish on your own.
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)
14 days of learning God’s love. Learn about the Love Letters here.
Special Note: Thank you so much for joining me in the Love Letters series. Over these last two weeks, I’ve been challenged and pushed every day as I studied the Word to write these daily posts. I hope you’ve been encouraged and have learned about God’s love and purpose for you. I encourage you to revisit any letters for encouragement whenever you need it, and share them with others. Most importantly, go deeper. Seek God for yourself. Open the Bible, communicate with Him in prayer, and allow Him to lead you to discover His unique plan for your life. Let me know your thoughts on the series below!
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Bur·den:
[Source]
You were not made to carry everything. But it’s quite easy to think you’re supposed to.
We live in a DIY culture: Do it yourself. Make it happen. Figure it out. Find a way. Solve the problem. Don’t wait for anyone.
Now. There is some value we can take from these thoughts: Don’t just lean on anything. When the storms come, you discover what is made of substance and what is not. A house set on an unstable foundation is bound to crumble when a natural disaster strikes. A boat built with weak materials will sink when it’s tossed to and fro on the ocean.
We need to stand on something with substance–something that is stable enough to hold us up, to keep us afloat no matter what.
Leaning on yourself can’t do that.
Have you ever been in a situation where you stop and think, Wow. I can’t do this…? Have you tried pulling an all-nighter to meet a deadline only to realize you fell asleep hours in? Have you promised a friend a favor only to realize days later, I can’t believe I forgot to do that!
We get tired, we get faint, we run out of energy. We fail, we break promises, we forget. It’s normal. But it shows how human we are.
You were not made to carry everything.
God provides access to Him because He knows this. We can go to Him freely. God takes joy in talking to you. He loves providing a way for you, opening doors, and seeing you fulfill your purpose. He sees you in your challenges, and He wants to help.
It’s not your duty to carry your burden on your own. Whatever you’re carrying today, give it to the Lord. What does that mean? Go to Him about it. Talk to Him about it like you would talk to a friend. Humans can only do so much.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)
14 days of learning God’s love. Learn about the Love Letters here.
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Char·ac·ter: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
Character makes up a person’s core. One’s thoughts and intentions–why we do the things we do. There’s nothing more shocking than discovering someone was not who she/he claimed to be. We don’t always get a chance to know the truth up front.
But you know what’s comforting? God intends to reveal His true character to you.
He does not want to be a mystery to you. He wants to come near you. He wants you to identify His traits, to understand His thoughts towards you. You, the individual. You.
The basis of God’s character is that He wants the best for you. He has the best for you. And He’s on your side. He’s not an enemy, not a tyrant. You don’t need to be scared of Him. He’s not here to manipulate you or lead you on a path of confusion. He’s actually your biggest support-system.
His intentions are to provide good for you. He wants you to live a good life you can’t imagine.
His character, or His mental and moral qualities, are good. He’s the Creator of good things.
When struggles arise, remember this: Evil is the devil’s job. God’s not the author of the struggle, but the solution to it.
If you’re looking for God, know that He’s here–whether you believe in Him or not or are unsure. He wants to reveal Himself. Just ask. Psalm 86:5 states we will know of His steadfast love when we call upon Him.
God’s love is free-for-all. And He’s reaching out for you. Are you ready to grab a hold of His goodness?
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. (Psalm 86:5 ESV)
14 days of learning God’s love. Learn about the Love Letters here.
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