Day 26 - Endurance

Day 26

Job 3-4, James 1

 Have you ever reached the point of frustration with life that you just wish you never had to live it? That is where Job is at in this moment in our reading. When the silence is finally broken between him and his friends, we can see the venting that takes place as Job questions his life and purpose. Eliphaz offers his advice, without fully understanding Job's situation. He does, however, tell Job to look to God for hope, as he asks him if his reverence truly give him confidence. As this dialogue continues, we will see more and more how useless and frustrating their advice becomes.  

In those moments like Job has here, it is encouraging to remember James 1. We are told I have joy when we face trials. This doesn't seem to be a gut reaction when we face extreme hardship as Job has. We want to react and ask why God would allow something so I terrible to happen to us. But if we view trials and follow James' advice on how to take on trials, we will grow leaps and bounds in our faith and endurance. 

Much of our reaction to trials make us see where our loyalties lie. When you are able to stand on the Rock that is Christ, you get the amazing opportunity to see His work through your life and in your faith. With every hardship and trial given to Him, the greater faith and endurance you will have. 

Practicing and conditioning for sports is the same idea. If you jump into a competition without having those times of coaching and conditioning, it is going to be mighty hard to keep up with the team. However, when you prep yourself and view those tough practices as gaining you strength and endurance, they are better to face. Trials are like a conditioning for facing the ones ahead. 

Frustrations in this life can pile up and leave you feeling hopeless. We should find joy in them, however, as they are preparation for using your faith again. How can you allow the hardships in your life to grow you in endurance? Place your trust in Christ and see what He can do through you! 

Day 25 - Standing Firm

Day 25
Psalm 14-17

Ponder these verses you read today a little more:

I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. Psalm 16:8

You will show me the way of life, granting me with the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever. Psalm 15:11

I am praying because I know You will answer, O God. Psalm 17:6

Because I am righteous, I will see You. When I wake, I will see You face to face and be satisfied. Psalm 17:15

What is it you need from God today? Theses verses sure feed a soul, and empower a heart. Stand firm! He is with you and will fulfill you in every way. Stay by Him.

Day 24 - Don't Get Comfortable

Day 24
Job 1-2, John 21

Today, we kick off the story of Job. The trials Job faces is unreal. We read the conversation between God and Satan as God allows Satan to test Job, this seems a little unfair...But God is very confident in Job and that he will not turn from Him in any situation. Satan seems to taunt God and tells Him that if Job (His follower) experiences the lowest of low, he would surely turn away and curse God.

So, after losing everything, including his health, Job is left with a bitter wife and his friends, who we will read don't offer the best advice. However, we see that Job never loses his faith in God. That is one thing that can never be taken from you. Satan has tried to separate them, but causing all of this havoc in Job's life, but Job has great faith and huge priority in God, rather than all of the things he lost. Could you lose the things or people you are pouring all of your faith and priority into?

As John wraps up, we read how Jesus appears to His disciples once more as they are out fishing, and helps them in catching a huge haul of fish. Then, He cooks them breakfast. Jesus and Peter have a very intense conversation, with Jesus questioning Peter's love for Him. The interesting part of their conversation is that Jesus is telling Peter that if he truly loves Him, he needs to feed His sheep, right after feeding Peter and the disciples breakfast.

I believe that Jesus' question to Peter wasn't only for Peter. I also believe that when He told Peter to "feed" and "care for" His sheep, He was telling all of His followers then and now to love in all ways. We have a calling from Christ Himself to care for and to love others. We see how frustrated and uncomfortable Peter gets with Jesus in His questioning him. Do you ever feel uncomfortable when conviction hits you in just the right way?

If life were easy, we wouldn't need faith. We grow the most when we are the most uncomfortable. God cares that we are whole rather than comfortable. Comfort is temporary, but being whole in Him and helping others be whole in Him is eternal. What comforts today are hindering you from caring for people? Are you content enough in life that if you lost everything, you would be done? Don't get too comfortable.

Day 23 - Legacy

Day 23
Genesis 49-50, John 20

As Genesis wraps up, we read the parting words Jacob has for his sons. It is clear that each one leads his own legacy and has his own gift. The ones who haven't quite taken the right path in life, face the consequences for the remainder of it. Others have shown how faithful they were to God and have left leaving hope and great stories for others to be inspired by. We all will fall into a legacy, but the question is what kind of legacy will you leave?

Joseph's legacy, for example has been a very powerful one to read about. His relentless faith and leadership skills left a wonderful light on his family and the line he comes from. Jacob's life ends and his legacy is evident as well, as you can see the descendants he passed on and the life he led in forgiveness and humility. I think Joseph took after his father and uncle a little bit in this area. Joseph forgives his brothers, as Jacob once had to seek forgiveness from his brother, and because of this, amazing work is done to create good out of the bleak.

I think it's safe to say that Jesus has left quite a legacy. In fact, I would have to say that this is a huge understatement. As followers, we look to Him as our example. He died and rose again for us, so we could spend eternity with Him. We can never measure up to the legacy Jesus left, but we can strive to follow His example and do as He did to our best.

What legacy will you leave behind? We all will leave some sort of legacy, but some will leave a better one than others. Strive to follow the example of Christ and be inspired by the ones you read about throughout time. You have a story to share. Is it a good one?

Day 22 - Keep the Faith

Day 22
Genesis 46-48, John 19

There are so many unknowns in life. We can see this theme throughout God's Word as we watch God work through people and the processes of faith that take place.
Jacob, being near the end of life, I'm sure wasn't expecting much more. But we read the beautiful story of how his family is reunited and he is able to experience how God has worked in powerful ways. We will continue to read about the amazing things God does through this line of people!

Joseph's faith led him to where he is too. His family experiences healing because of it. Though Joseph went through horrible times of rejection and hardship, we can see how hard he holds onto God throughout, and because of his faith, life has come to God's awesome plan being played out.

Another step of faith is in our own lives. Jesus died for us and many have a hard time believing He rose again and will be coming back. We leave off in John at a seemingly bleak moment. A time of hopelessness and probably a lot of people losing the faith they had in God's power.

Each of these examples have one major thing in common. Each of them had a window of darkness at one time or another. That window, however, was expanded to see the hope and power that came through in the end. Just because you are looking out a dark window right now, remember that in days, weeks, months, even years, God's glory is revealed.

God does some of His best work in the midst of hardship. We have to be at the absolute bottom to know that up is the only place to look. The bottom of the pit is a lonely, dark, hopeless place to be, but as we read today, God works again and again for those who trust in Him. It is so easy to stumble and give up on faith. A stronger person holds on and keeps looking to Him, even when they don't feel like doing it. Hold on and keep having faith in what God has in store for you.

Day 21 - (Hope)lessness

Day 21
Genesis 43-45, John 18

After great hopelessness, comes great hope. That is surely a theme as we read on in both Genesis and in John.

As we continue on with Joseph's story, we can see the hopelessness that fills Joseph's brothers and his father as they seem to encounter hardship from this leader that they don't know is actually their long, lost brother. Jacob wants to cling to his family, and not lose any more of his sons, but it is Judah that takes responsibility for anything happening to Benjamin and it is Judah's words to Joseph that cause him to break down and share the truth. There has been great change in Judah over the years, as we see that hope can carry into people as well. Judah, being the brother who suggested doing away with Joseph and causing his father great pain in the first place, has now become the one to stand up for the favored brother, Benjamin and protect his father.

There is hope for changed hearts and changed situations. It is amazing how God works through these things and uses them for His glory!

As Jesus is taken into custody and Peter falls into the denial trap, all hope seems lost here as well. Jesus knows what will happen, and He knows that it is for His Father's will and glory. It is always hard to read of the struggles that Jesus endured for us, but the hope that it brought to the world is absolutely priceless.

The disciples probably felt pretty hopeless as Jesus' death is carried out. The bigger picture isn't clear to them yet, and they probably didn't expect things to go this way as a follower of Jesus. How many times as a follower do you feel like things can be hopeless? The bigger picture tells us, however, that with Christ, there is always hope! We can't lose everything because when He is our everything, nothing can touch that.

What are you hopeful for today? What may be causing hopelessness in your life currently? If you take anything from today's reading, remember that God has the big picture! Just because we're on the pixel that seems dark and unending, doesn't mean we should give up. When you can see what work God has done through those times of hopelessness, you can have greater hope in the future. 

Day 20 - Letting Go

Day 20
Genesis 41-42, John 17

Have you honestly given everything to God? We can see the agony that Jacob has in possibly losing his sons. But what Jacob doesn't know is that the son he has "lost" is being used in great ways by the Lord. It is probably the hardest thing to trust God with your loved ones and give Him the ultimate control over them. As a mother, I couldn't imagine losing my daughter. It would absolutely break me! But in telling God that I trust Him with her life and the direction He takes her in, I am free to think that she is in the best hands possible.

Jacob doesn't want his sons to return to Egypt because he fears losing them. God is doing miraculous things, however, and unless Jacob lets them go, he will never get to experience what God has in store for his family and the power that will come with the healing. When we cling so tight to something, whether it be our family members, relationships, our jobs, our finances, our programs, etc., we could be missing out on the bigger picture of what God is trying to do. He will be glorified in our giving it all to Him, but unless we do that, we won't see it to its full effect.

Jesus prays for His disciples as He prepares to leave them. We see how He puts them in the hands of His Father and asks that they be blessed and grown in Him. Jesus states to His Father that the ones that were given to Him were always His Father's. What a powerful prayer for our children and loved ones! When we can honestly come before God and say "Lord, the children you have given me are Yours", we have opened up a whole new aspect of our parenting and faith.

We belong to the Father! We are His, and He wants to do what is best for us. Who else could possibly understand our hearts better than He? When we can come to the conclusion that everything we have is His, we can begin to give them all over to Christ, in full faith that His glory will be served. What is it that you need to hand over and admit fully is His? Give Him the control of everything in your life and you will not regret it!