Choosing Not to Lose Heart

‘Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied to Job: “Will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out?  “In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of his anger.’ Job 4:1-9 NLT

I’m hoping all of you got the chance to read Cortney’s devotion on Tuesday, and if you didn’t, please read it first and come back to this after.

One of the things I love about this platform God has given us to minister to others is that God speaks to me so much through it and through Cortney as my Soul Deep partner. The past few days I have been facing a lot at once. I was truly so overwhelmed and my trust in God was really being put to the test. Honestly, the past couple days have been the hardest that I think I’ve ever faced. I felt like I had to make every big life decision in one day, and if you’ve ever been there, you’ll know that that will make you question your trust in what God’s doing in your life.

After lots of prayer– and maybe even lots of crying– I remembered one thing: when we are even the slightest bit vulnerable, the enemy loves to sneak his way into our minds and discourage us. I remembered that God has loved me through every trial and has never given up on me, even in my worst places, and His plan is so much bigger than my worry.

Wherever you are today, trust in God completely! Don’t let any situation take advantage of the relationship you have with Him. Don’t run away in fear, but run towards Him with all you are carrying and fall in His arms. 

1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

There are times when we feel unworthy of God. Times where we lose all ambition to move forward. But when the enemy is discouraging you, take heart in the fact that God is getting ready to perform miracles, should you choose to fully submit to Him. When I read Cortney’s devotional this week, it completely reminded me of that.

In the times where we are overwhelmed with decisions and different stresses, it can be very hard to trust God. It is in those times that we can also feel very alone in what we are facing. But it is also in those times that God is going to show up and grow you into the person you were always meant to be.

I’m here to remind you, one sister to another sibling in Christ, that it’s ok. It’s ok to cry, it’s ok to feel the emotions you’re feeling, but you need to take those feelings and give them completely to God in prayer so He can continue to direct your path and encourage you.

Trust God completely, even when it feels impossible and before you know it, your eyes will be completely opened to what He was doing through what you were facing. Never believe the lie that you are alone in your situation, because that’s the enemies favorite lie to spew to us. There are so many people God has placed in your life and will continue to place in your path that are there for you and facing that same struggles you are.

Today, I want to just encourage you by letting you know that we all go through different seasons; some that are great where we feel so on fire for God, and others that we have to take each day as it comes and give it to God. But be encouraged, because there is victory at the end of your tunnel. When you give God all you have, like Cortney shared with us Tuesday, there is no enemy that can conquer you.

This morning I came across these verses in the beginning of Job 4 and I felt like it tied in so perfectly with what I wanted to talk about today, and what I personally needed to hear from God. In our key verse Eliphaz reminds Job how in other people’s struggles, he encouraged them so much with the truth of who God is and what he is doing. Yet, when struggle hits him, he can’t encourage himself with the truth he’s been preaching to others. Eliphaz reminds Job that the breath of God eliminates those who are trying to come against His people and cause destruction.

I love when he says “Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?”

Eliphaz is reminding him that he has so much hope to hold on to through his relationship with God and how strong of his faith is because of that bond, that he doesn’t have to lose heart but continue to pursue God in this trials.

We are all in this life together, living in the amazing presence of our Savior, and no matter what we face, there will never be anything stronger than God’s character. Let’s not lose heart, but instead, continue to let God grow us in every trial we face. Let’s charge forth into every experience so that we can receive every miracle, big and small, that He pours out to us along the way. God’s not done with you yet.