I don’t know about you, but the number of crisis situations around the world are weighing heavily on my heart. Some days it seems as if the crises are basically piling on top of each other.
And while I know we are strong and resilient, that we will find our way through whatever is in front of us, it’s still hard and emotionally exhausting.
About the time I think the weight is too heavy, God shows up through His word, a person or an event and reminds me that we are not alone and should fully embrace the strength found in Christ.
Hurting for our military and people of Afghanistan and Haiti, concerned about Ida
I’m also reminded of the importance of fervent prayer and how our military personnel and the people of Afghanistan and Haiti need us praying more than ever right now. Those living on or near the Gulf Coast of the United States also face imminent danger from Hurricane Ida today (Aug. 29). And many in California and other parts of the western U.S. continue to be devastated by the nearly 7-week-old Dixie Fire and 5-week-old Fly Fire that have now merged into one.
Along with prayer, we can soothe our souls by reaching out to help those in crisis as well as provide a listening ear to those struggling to process all that is happening right now.
I’m encouraged by so many of you who are maintaining a cheerful heart and continuing to truly make a difference despite the difficulties, heaviness and frustrations consistently hovering over us.
The amazing stories coming out of our churches reminds me we are going to be OK, and that the Light will continue to shine through the darkness.
Thank you for digging in deep and holding tight to Jesus through it all — and for modeling love, joy, peace, grace and confidence for the unbelievers who are watching.
As children of the King, we have a built-in family of tremendous strength that spans worldwide, even when it seems we are fighting each other more than unifying around our faith.
In many ways, the past 18 months have made it more difficult to trust, and isolation can play tricks on our minds.
I wish we could confidently say life will soon settle into a calm routine that makes sense to us, but I’m honestly not sure what the next week, much less the next year, holds.
However, I can confidently hold to the promises of the One who does know every detail of each of our lives and knows all that lies ahead for our country and our world.
I can decide to move forward in His light and love despite the unknowns ahead, striving to follow His commands above all and working to leave the communities in which I serve better than I found them.
Keep hope alive; we were trained for these moments and get to be His image bearers amid the chaos
From 2 Corinthians …
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For what we proclaim is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence.
For it is all for your sake so that as grace extends to more and more people, it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
— 2 Corinthians 4, ESV
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