Encouragement For You – Don’t Quit!

Do you feel like you are at the end of your rope and you have had enough of the situations and/or people in your life?

Let me encourage you.

DON’T QUIT NOW. The change is almost here!

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.”     James 1:2-5 (MSG)

“Ugh” I hear you say. Just wait, there is so much good news here. Remember, the word “Gospel” IS Good News.

Why do we go through challenges? Because we live in a world of broken, wounded and hurting people – including ourselves.

OK. So how is this encouraging?

If you persevere and stand firm, you will come out of the challenge a stronger, more mature and a more compassionate person whose faith level has increased dramatically. I know it hurts incredibly but your experiences and pain are NEVER wasted. From my own experience, God has used my pain to minister to, encourage and comfort others way more than He has used my joys and triumphs.

Why? People need to know they are not alone. They need to know that there is a victory at the end of the trial.

Can you relate?

Think about a time when you were greatly struggling – that might be now. Think about someone who came alongside you and whispered an encouragement in your ear. When someone says, “Don’t worry. It will all be ok,” does that bring encouragement? It may for some, but when someone comes alongside and says, “Don’t worry, I have your back. I have walked a similar road before. I can help you through it.” Doesn’t that bring more relief to your soul?

My encouragement to you is this:

Don’t give up! Your victory is coming.

The past 6 years have been very difficult for me personally and now that I have come out the other side, I can see how the Lord used the challenges I was going through. (Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it?) For years I had been asking God to use me for His purposes. The problem was, I was so incredibly broken that I couldn’t help myself, let alone anyone else. My soul needed a tremendous amount of healing first.

What I have found to be true of trials and challenges is that it brings to the surface what is hidden below. When I cook bones in our slow-cooker to make a beef bone broth, over time the fat rises to the surface. I then scoop as much fat as I can from the top and after the broth has been simmering for 3 days, I pour it into a bowl, allow it to cool and the extra fat solidifies on the top. It is then very easy for me to lift off the fat and then I am left with a nutrient dense, delicious organic bone broth. Yum!

Trials and challenges are the same way. Whatever is not of the Lord (those parts of our character that do not represent Jesus) usually come to the surface. This is not a bad thing. When they do reveal themselves, immediately acknowledge the sin, repent, ask the Lord to heal your soul with His Glory Light (Malachi 4:2) and move forward. If it happens again – rinse and repeat, meaning, do it all again until complete healing comes.

“So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”  James 1:3-4 (MSG)

This is fantastic news! God really does use ALL things for His purposes (Romans 8:28) – if you let Him.

Here is the key in James 1:5 (MSG):

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.”

ASK GOD FOR WISDOM. ASK GOD FOR HELP.

Graham Cooke suggests that we ask the Lord who He wants to be for us today. From experience, God always answers and I have discovered new and exciting things about the Lord who loves you desperately.

The Seasons Are Shifting In The Spirit Realm

God wants to partner with you to show you how to move into the next phase. My philosophy is, YOU DON’T GET IF YOU DON’T ASK. Ask God for what you want. Ask Him is there anything that you need to do to make the transition happen. If not, then ask Him to help you wait with a gracious and grateful attitude. Actively speak out words of thanks to God for what He has already done in your life. Being thankful, even just in words without the feelings, lifts your faith and attitude to a higher altitude.

We are moving into a new season of power and strength in the spirit. Jump on board the train for life is about to get really exciting.

Don’t give up, don’t quit.

Let me leave you with this encouragement from Romans 8:31-34 (NLT):

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.“

As always, I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts. If you would like prayer, drop a comment below or email me via the contact form and I’ll pray for you. If you know of anyone that this post could help, please share it with them. To encourage others is the cry of my heart.

May Jesus our Lord bless you with whatever your need is today!

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