Read: Psalm 62:1-8

“What am I going to do?” How many times have we all uttered this cry of despair? Sometimes the storms of life come without letup; they seem endless, successively crashing against us until we feel as though we can’t take any more. In those times of desperation, Psalm 62 offers three valuable lessons.

First, we must wait. It’s understandable that we want answers and relief immediately, but the Lord acts in His own perfect time, and He’s never late. Therefore, we must wait for Him to guide us to the next step—even when that means resisting our natural desire to react quickly and take control of circumstances.

Second, we must wait in silence. When we quiet our mind and tongue, we give God an opportunity to speak His words of hope and trust to our heart. Instead of letting anxiety and worry occupy our thoughts, we must focus on God’s promises from Scripture. Then He will give us patience, trust, courage, and the assurance that He cares and is in control.

Third, we must keep in mind the motivation for this waiting—God’s intervention. Our focus is to be on the Lord, not on our troubles, ourselves, or other people. We must learn to filter out whatever is pulling our attention away from trust in almighty God, who is working according to His will and timing.

When the storms of life batter you, make sure that your feet are planted on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Do not despair, asking, What am I going to do? Rather, ask, What is God doing? And be assured—He is doing something.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

God’s Peace in the Storms of Life

The Storm Walker

Storm Survival

The post Standing in the Storm appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read: Ezekiel 36:25-28

A Heart That Responds to God

The Lord wants to give each of us a heart of flesh. In other words, He wants our hearts to remain tender, open, and responsive to Him.

When God touches a tender heart, it yields to His direction. Like clay in the hands of a potter, it can be shaped with care. Rather than resisting, a soft heart allows God to form it into the vessel He desires.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

God has given the Holy Spirit to every believer. Through His presence, we receive help to hear and respond to God.

As we follow His guidance, our hearts become softer. In addition, we become more aware of His leading. Each act of obedience also prepares us to understand more of God’s Word.

A tender heart accepts what God teaches. More importantly, it puts His truth into practice.

What Causes a Heart to Harden?

Resistance to God can cause the heart to become hard. For example, this may happen when we ignore His direction or refuse to deal with sin.

Those who remain close to Christ respond differently. When they recognize sin, they deal with it quickly. Afterward, they return to a place of obedience and fellowship with God.

Intimacy with Christ grows as we submit to Him. As a result, we become more willing to receive His correction, guidance, and blessing.

A Tender Heart Toward Others

People with tender hearts stay connected to the body of Christ. They also look for ways to encourage others and strengthen their faith.

Furthermore, they remain willing to learn. God may speak through Scripture, prayer, or another believer. Therefore, a tender person listens carefully and stays open to correction.

A teachable heart does not assume it already knows everything. Instead, it welcomes truth and allows God to bring lasting change.

Let God Shape Your Heart

This week, ask God to soften your heart as you read the Bible and pray.

When He reveals an area that has become hard, pay attention. First, listen carefully to His instruction. Then, rely on the Holy Spirit for the strength to obey.

Do not resist the work God wants to do in you. Instead, allow Him to shape your thoughts, choices, and desires. In His hands, your life can become a beautiful and useful vessel.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

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FURTHER READING

Tenderhearted, Forgive One Another

When Your Heart Needs a Father

A Loving Habit

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“ Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” James 1:13-15

Temptation will be with us as long as we live. Although the areas of enticement and their power over us will change with time, we will never be so mature or spiritually minded that we can totally relax our vigilance against them. Satan is always ready to capitalize on our weaknesses and selfish desires to draw us away from the heavenly Father.

James says we are tempted when we are carried away by our own lusts. Therefore, the problem begins within us when we feel the pull of our flesh to think, speak, or do what is contrary to God’s standard of holiness. Although being tempted is not a sin in itself, yielding to it is. When we dwell on a tempting thought, the idea gains a foothold in our mind and desires. With more attention, the desire will grow until a choice must be made about whether or not to act.

At the same time, we shouldn’t think that holding onto sinful desires is fine as long as we don’t actually do anything. Jesus debunked this idea in the Sermon on the Mount when He enlarged the Law’s commandments to include not just actions but also attitudes of the heart (Matthew 5:21-48). Anything less than God’s standard of holiness is not His will for us (Matthew 5:48).

Temptations start small. Yielding to them may seem inconsequential, but once we give in, that sin gains strength in our life and our ability to resist grows weaker. It may seem as if there’s no way out of this downward spiral, but God has given us a way of escape if we choose to seek out His help (1 Corinthians 10:13).

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Temptations: Doors Closing Read more..

How Temptations Lose Their Power Read more..

Moments of Weakness Read more..

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“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth.

One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation—a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker.

Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things—past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches.

Provision is yet another blessing guaranteed for believers. There will be hard times, but God gives Christians everything necessary for following Him (Philippians 4:19). And His grace will always prove more than sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them.

The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you’re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him?

by Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by permission:
https://www.intouch.org/

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FURTHER READING

Intimacy with God by Sylvia Gunter

“Have You Ever Been Alone With God?”

The Intimacy of Total Reliance

The post In Step with God appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

(v. 5) “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

Paul never claimed he was capable of accomplishing all that God called him to do. He simply learned to look beyond his own inadequacy to the sufficiency of Christ. If we’ll adopt the same practice, we, too, can discover the blessings hidden in our own experiences of inadequacy.

Our insufficiency drives us to God. When we realize a situation is bigger than we can handle, we’re quick to open the Bible and diligently pray for guidance and power.

Inadequacy relieves us of the burden of self-effort and self-reliance. The Lord has us right where He wants us–at the end of our rope with nothing left to give.

Inability motivates reliance on divine power. We’ll never be adequate until we draw from the Holy Spirit’s inexhaustible strength. He does in and through us what God never intended that we do on our own.

By using weak, inadequate people, God demonstrates what great things He can do. He actually delights in choosing unlikely individuals to carry out His purposes. There’s no limit to what He can do through someone willing to give Him full control.

Inadequacy challenges our faith. Paul says, “Our adequacy is from God” (v. 5)
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

Why go through all the fear, pressure, and frustration that accompany feelings of inadequacy when there’s an alternative? Let the Lord make you adequate: rely upon Him and allow Christ to live in and through you. He will replace your anxiety with a quiet spirit of contentment.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by permission

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FURTHER READING

Jesus Empowers the Inadequate

Faulty Building Materials

Why We’re Less Likely to Try Great Things for God

The post The Blessings of Inadequacy appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”  1 Thessalonians 5:14

There are hurting people everywhere, but at times we just don’t know what to say or do to ease their pain. Here are six practical ways to bear someone else’s burden.

1. Be there. At times the best “method” of helping is simply to be present. During our darkest hours, we don’t need someone who tries in vain to fix everything; we just need a friend.

2. Listen. Don’t attempt to give answers or tell people what to do next. Injured souls frequently want simply a listening ear so they can express what’s on their mind.

3. Share. Never parade yourself as someone who has all the answers. Instead, allow your own pain and failures to help others.

4. Pray. There is power in speaking people’s names before the Lord. When they hear someone talk to Jesus on their behalf, healing often starts taking place.

5. Give. Sometimes helping others involves more than a handshake or warm hug. Maybe they need something financial or material. One of the best measures of sincerity is how much we’re willing to give to others.

6. Substitute. You may know an individual who bears the burden of caring for someone else. If you step in and take his or her place for a while, you are emulating your Savior–He, too, was a substitute.

Because we were unable to do it ourselves, Jesus bore all of our sin and sorrow, even unto death. As a result, we can live happily and eternally in communion with our Father. If Christ did that for us, how can we ever say, “I’m too busy to bear someone else’s burden“?

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission
https://www.intouch.org/

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FURTHER READING

Caring For Others

Love’s Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

Comforter to the Downcast

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When life falls apart, what do you do?

All of us face hard circumstances—and some of these are very painful situations that last a long time. Unless we have a purposeful focus, joy can fade and hope may seem unattainable.

King David experienced extreme hardships, including the grief of losing both a child and a best friend. He also endured Saul’s attempts to kill him and, later on, a rebellion led by his own son. But even in hard times, David found hope and peace in God.

Why was David able to trust in the Lord? Because he knew how to meditate. That is, he focused his mind and spirit on God’s character, ways, and will in order to know the Lord better and obey Him.

What do you think about during the day? Do you set aside time to dwell solely on Jesus? Remind yourself periodically to bring your attention back to the Creator—one way to do this is to read several psalms and notice how the author refocuses on almighty God.

By continually focusing on God, David found peace in the midst of turmoil. We would be wise to follow his example. During times of difficulty, set your eyes on the Father and meditate on His Word.

Psalm 145:1-21

I will ^]extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. ² Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. ³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is ^]unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. ^{5 ]}I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And^]on Your wondrous works. ⁶ Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. ⁷ They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness. ⁸ The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy. ⁹ The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. ¹⁰ All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, And Your saints shall bless You. ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, ¹² To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all ^]generations.

¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. ¹⁵ The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. ¹⁶ You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. ¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. ¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. ²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,  And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

In Distress

Trouble and Distress

All Stressed Up and Nowhere to Go

The post The Moments That Sustain Us appeared first on Thoughts About God.

How would you answer if someone were to ask, “Do you feel good about yourself?” Would your thoughts be filled with self-doubt and second-guessing, or would you be able to stand tall and say, “Yes, I do”?

There are many behaviours and attitudes that clearly cross boundaries—such as unforgiveness, adultery, and greed. But insecurity is different. It’s more like a slow flame burning just beneath the surface, influencing our thoughts and subtly harming us from within. This issue is harder to identify, but it’s powerful and can impact how we respond to God’s call.

What do we mean by insecurity? It’s a feeling of inadequacy, often compounded by a sense of complete helplessness, purposelessness, disapproval, or rejection. All of these things can slowly accumulate and weigh us down if we don’t learn how to identify them.

Try spending time today in earnest prayer and honest self-discovery. Ask the heavenly Father to shine His light on any area of insecurity that may be a burden on your heart. Let Him remind you just how special you are in His eyes. After all, our value comes from being God’s children, and that will never change.

Romans 8:33-39

33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

The Gift of Forgiveness

God Forgave our Sins, Past, Present and Future

How to Experience God’s Love and Forgiveness (3 parts)

The post The Slow Burn of Insecurity appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read: Hebrews 11:23-29

As human beings, we often have a difficult time perceiving what the Lord is doing in our life.

We are limited by the passage of time, the confusion of present circumstances, and a lack of understanding regarding God’s goals and His means of accomplishing them. That’s why studying the lives of men and women in Scripture helps us see how the Lord worked in previous generations. God’s relationships with the faithful in earlier times are helpful examples for us today.

When we face uncertainty, we can look to Moses’ example. His life was unpredictable and full of hardship, yet he “endured, as seeing Him who is unseen” (Hebrews 11:27). In Greek, the root word for “endurance” refers to the capacity to bear up under difficulty. Moses successfully persevered under pressure by keeping his focus on God rather than on the events surrounding him.

From Moses’ example, we learn that this is what the Lord desires for us as well. Although we may want out of a difficult situation as soon as possible, this may not be God’s aim. It is not His goal to make us as comfortable as can be but, rather, to transform us into the image of His Son. And endurance helps us get there.

If God calls us to endure pain, hardship, or uncertainty, we can find encouragement in knowing we’re never alone. Part of “seeing Him who is unseen” is realizing that God’s grace and comfort carry us through every situation. The Lord doesn’t want us to simply grit our teeth and bear hardship; He desires that we trust Him and bring glory to His name through our dependence.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Hope and Endurance

A Prayer of Endurance

Joyful Endurance

The post God Values Endurance appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Obeying God’s will in our lives should not be a burden but a thrilling adventure that we walk through with Him each day.

^“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.  Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.  I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:6-8

Some Christians view obeying God only as a way to avoid the negative consequences of disobedience. But if this is our thinking, then obedience becomes a heavy burden rather than an exciting adventure motivated by love for Jesus Christ and a desire to please Him.

The reason some of us see following the Lord as a burden is because we tend to think of His will in terms of big and potentially costly decisions. But doing God’s will isn’t just about large issues; it’s also daily obedience in small matters of life. Philippines 4:6 tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything. In bringing even fairly mundane concerns to the Lord, we’re being trained to trust and obey Him in more critical matters.

The Christian life is a walk of faith—one step of obedience after another. Though we may think the situations we face are unrelated, the Lord moves us through a variety of circumstances toward His ultimate purpose. If, for the sake of safety, we back off from obeying, we’ll miss the opportunity to experience His awesome power working in and through us. Small choices may seem insignificant, but they lead to a thrilling lifelong journey with God.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Going Deeper with God

• The Re-Knitting Hand of God – What God taught me about ‘little sins’

•  Salvation Explained

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Psalm 8

“O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

(5)For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,  All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Let’s look at some common causes of where Insecurity can come from:

Rejection. When we grow up thinking no one really likes us, we turn into chronically reluctant adults who lack confidence.

Tragedy. Traumatic circumstances like a broken home, the death of a loved one, or abusive relationships can open the door for insecurity.

Poor body image. Whether it’s body shape, hair loss, or disability, physical appearance can lead people to see themselves in a negative light. The resulting shame and self-consciousness can permeate interactions with others.

Comparison. People sometimes become preoccupied with those who seem smarter, wealthier, nicer-looking, more successful, and so on. This makes individuals feel overshadowed and creates doubt in their own ability to achieve.

Failure. Because we pour time and resources into our work, families, and life goals, a setback in any of these areas can crush our spirit.

If this sounds familiar, examine your heart carefully. Ask yourself,

In what area of life might I have deep insecurity?

Remember, today’s psalm says God has crowned us “with glory and majesty!” (Psalm 8:5). That’s who we really are.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

FURTHER READING

Practicing the Presence of God
To Whom are You Listening?
God is Thinking about You

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Have you ever looked at someone and thought, He’s so lucky or her life is so easy?

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,  being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8

Have you ever looked at someone and thought, He’s so lucky or her life is so easy? In reality, no one has a problem-free existence. Scripture describes life’s trials as universal—we all face times of trouble.

James 1:2 is a small verse, but it contains tremendous insight about our trials. First, it is significant that James uses the word “when.” Undergoing trials is a matter of when rather than if.

Second, James says we’ll “encounter” misfortune, implying that difficulties will arise unexpectedly. There may be no time to prepare for these dilemmas.

Third, he uses the adjective “various” to denote the ever-changing, often surprising ways adversities appear. James has a specific message he wants to convey: “Get ready. Trouble is coming, so you must be prepared to handle it effectively.”

“Effective” may not be a word you’d use to describe your response to trials. Too often, we hope for hardship to pass us by quickly. However, that would rob us of the opportunity for growth that each trial contains.

Read today’s passage again slowly. Pray as you read, asking God to show you how to endure—and how to actually rejoice in your trials. He has a plan for your moment of hardship. Ask Him today what it may be and then trust He will accomplish His purpose in it.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Stepping Into a Personal Revival

•   Keeping Yourself in God’s Love – even during painful times in your life

•  Salvation Explained

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