How to Be Confident in Uncertain Times

In review of James 5:8 it says, “Be patient, resting your hearts on the ultimate certainty.” (PHILLIPS)

I must wait patiently for Christ's return. While I wait, there is much work that I can do to advance God's Kingdom. I must live by faith. looking toward the future reward for my labors. Work faithfully to build his Kingdom for He will come back at the right time.

I’m living in strange and uncertain times. I don’t know what’s happening in the world. I get conflicting information from every source. I don’t know how long this coronavirus is going to continue spreading. I’m not sure how to make wise decisions without all the information I need.

When so many things are uncertain, I can remain certain of this one truth: God is in control.

“Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes again. See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope. The Lord will soon be here. Brothers and sisters, stop complaining about each other, or you will be condemned. Realize that the judge is standing at the door” (James 5:7-9 GW).

James reminds me several times in this passage that the Lord is coming back. It’s the ultimate proof that God is in control.

History is God’s story. It’s not circular. There is no circle of life. History is linear, and it’s moving to a climax. God has a plan. God has a purpose. And one day Jesus is going to return. Everything is on schedule. I don’t know when he’s coming back, but the Bible talks more about Jesus’ second coming than it does about his first coming. That means it should change how I live my life every day. I should be living with great expectations!

Although the situation may seem out of control and what I’m going through may be painful, nothing is beyond God’s control. So I need to be patient. God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late. He is in control.

The J.B. Phillips translation of James 5:8 says, “Be patient, resting your hearts on the ultimate certainty.”

What’s the ultimate certainty? Jesus is going to come back one day. Nothing’s going to stop that.

Knowing that history is under God’s control and that Jesus has promised to return should give me all the confidence I need in uncertain times. When I feel like I can’t count on anything else, count on this: God’s got this. And Jesus will come back one day soon to make all things right and new.

In summary, be patient by resting my heart on the ultimate certainty for Christ's return. While I wait, there is much work that I can do to advance God's Kingdom. I need to live by faith and look toward the future reward for my labors. Work faithfully for He will come back at the right time. I’m now living in strange and uncertain times. With so many things being uncertain, I can be certain of this: God is in control and the Lord is coming back. For God has a plan and a purpose. And one day Jesus is going to return. I just don’t know when. Knowing this means it should change how I live my life every day. Although situations may seem out of control and what I’m going through may be painful, nothing is beyond God’s control. So be patient. God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late. He is in control. The ultimate certainty is that Jesus will come back one day. Knowing that history is under God’s control and that Jesus has promised to return, should give me all the confidence I need in uncertain times. When I feel like I can’t count on anything else, count on this: God’s got this. And Jesus will come back one day soon to make all things right and new.

Confidence comes from knowing that God is in control. His timing is perfect. I need to remind myself that he’s got this and will accomplish his will. I just need to be patient. Waiting patiently is what I need to do regarding my future job situation. While I have been told my job is being eliminated at the end of the year, it seems they have underestimated what it will take to shut down and remove the old infrastructure for the new. Also what it will take to support the new infrastrcuture. While this current job has had an impact, I do thank you Lord for providing. You will do what you know is best and will provide for me.

I pray Father that with the help of the Holy Spirit that I remain strong in the confidence in you and your plan. That you will work out things the way you want, which may not be what I’m thinking or waiting. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray these things through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.

What’s My Part in the Conflict?

As I look at Psalm 139:23-24, I see,  “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (NIV)

In this passage, David asks God to search for sin and point it out, even to the level of testing his thoughts. Likewise, how am I to recognize sin unless I let God point it out. Then, when God shows me, I can repent of it and be forgiven. If I ask the Lord to search my heart and thoughts and reveal my sin, I will be continuing "along the path of everlasting life."

One of the best strategies for de-escalating conflict is also one of the scariest things I can do: Asking God to give me a clear picture of myself.

When I’m in conflict, I bring all kinds of emotions and misconceptions to the table. My responsibility is to ask God to point out my own shortcomings, not the shortcomings of others. I ask God to make it clear to me anything within me that is wrong and then allow Him to lead me on the path that is always right.

When I genuinely pray those verses from Psalm 139, God will show me the right way. He’ll not play games, and he’ll always forgive, even when he points out that part of the problem in the conflict is me.

As God reveals to me the sin in my life, I must take responsibility for it. And that may mean I need to bring it up in conversation with the other person. It always means I get right with God. My job is to admit any part of the conflict that was caused by my bias, insensitivity, immaturity, or negligence, or any other reason.

Jesus made this point Matthew 7:3-5, “And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother” (TLB).

Pointing the finger will never resolve conflict. I must first look at myself and ask God for wisdom to recognize my sin and take responsibility for it. It will never be easy, but it will always be the right choice.

In summary, ask God to search me and know my heart, even test me and my thoughts. Allow him to point out any offensive way in me. How am I to recognize sin unless I let God point it out. Then, when God shows me, I can repent of it and be forgiven. One of the best strategies for de-escalating conflict is asking God to give and provide me a clear picture of myself. I need to ask God to point out my own shortcomings, not the shortcomings of others.Even when he points out that part of the problem in the conflict is me, He’ll always forgive. As God reveals sin in my life, I must take responsibility for it and get right with God. Pointing the finger will never resolve it. I must first look at myself and ask God for wisdom to recognize my sin and then take responsibility for it. It will never be easy, but it will always be the right choice.

When it comes to my interactions with Senior Leadership I find myself in conflict. Father, I ask you to search my thoughts and help point out what I need to confess. I pray with the help of the Holy Spirit that I can contemplate and hear clearly from you my part of the conflict. I ask you also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. Help steer me to do what is right. I pray these things through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.

It's Faith, Not Feelings, Pleases God

As I read Job 1:21, I find  “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (NIV)

When I was a new Christian, God often gave me confirming emotions so that I know he’s there and he cares. But as I grow in faith, God will wean me of any dependency to rely on emotions to believe he is present and at work in my life.

God’s omnipresence and the manifestation of his presence are two different things. One is a fact; the other is often a feeling. God is always present, even when I’m unaware of him, and his presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion.

Yes, he wants me to sense his presence, but he’s more concerned that I trust him than that I feel him. It's Faith, not feelings, that pleases God.

The situations that will stretch my faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. This happened to Job. On a single day he lost everything. And, most discouraging, God said nothing to Job for 37 chapters!

How do I praise God when I don’t understand what’s happening and it seems God is silent? How do I stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do I keep my eyes on Jesus when they’re full of tears? I do what Job did: “Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised’” (Job 1:20-21 NIV).

Tell God exactly how I feel. Pour out my heart to Him. Unload every emotion that I’m feeling. Job did this when he said, “I can’t be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak” (Job 7:11 GNT).

He cried out when God seemed distant: “Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house” (Job 29:4 NIV).

God can handle my doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions. I can take everything to him in prayer.

In summary, the Lord gives and the Lord can take away. No matter in which case, let the name of the Lord be praised. As I grow in faith, God will wean me of any dependency to rely on emotions to believe he is present and at work in my life. God is always present, even when I’m unaware of him, and his presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion. While, He wants me to sense his presence, he’s more concerned that I trust him than that I feel him. It's Faith, not feelings, that pleases God. The situations that will stretch my faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. How do I praise God when this happens. I do what Job did: “he fell to the ground in worship and said: The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”. His Word shows me that It’s ok to tell God exactly how I feel. God can handle my doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions. I can take everything to him in prayer.

Father I need to continue to put my trust in you at all times and especially when I don’t feel your presence. I can choose to focus on what you have done for me up to now and gain encouragement from your work in my life. I pray for help from the Holy Spirit to help me keep this in mind. I also ask for you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I trust you for the outcome of my life and pledge to continue to do what you have already revealed to me. I pray these things in your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

Seeking a Feeling Is Not Worship

In review of Job 23:8-10 Job says, “I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.” (NLT)

Job was saying that God appeared to be avoiding or hiding from him. However, he also expressed confidence that God knew every detail about his situation and would come to his rescue. Often my experience of God in this life leads me to doubt his constant presence. I need to realize that sometimes my feelings will lead me astray. I can always count on God's help and presence, even when I can't feel it.

Yesterday I saw that David sometimes complained of God’s apparent absence. But the truth is, God hadn’t really left David, just as God will never leave me. God has promised repeatedly, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 GNT).

Yet God has not promised that I will always feel his presence. In fact, God acknowledges that sometimes he hides his face from me (Isaiah 45:15). There are times when he appears to be missing-in-action.

This is a normal part of the testing and maturing of my friendship with God. Every Christian goes through it at least once and usually several times. It is painful and disconcerting, but it is absolutely vital for the development of my faith.

Knowing this gave Job hope when he could not feel God’s presence in his life. He said, “I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:8-10 NLT).

When God seems distant, it may feel like he is angry with or disciplining me for some sin. In fact, sin does disconnect me from intimate fellowship with God. I grieve God’s Spirit and quench our fellowship with him by disobedience, conflict with others, busyness, friendship with the world, and other sins (Psalm 51; Ephesians 4:29-30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Jeremiah 2:32; 1 Corinthians 8:12; James 4:4).

But often this feeling of abandonment or estrangement from God has nothing to do with sin. It is a test of faith, one I must face: Will I continue to love, trust, obey, and worship God, even when I have no sense of his presence or visible evidence of his work in my life?

The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped.

But God often removes my feelings so I won’t depend on them. Instead, he wants to draw me into a deeper relationship with him.

In summary, there will be times when I cannot find God, he’ll appear concealed. But even then He still knows where I am going. And when he tests me through these times, I want to come out as pure as gold. There will be times when I may doubt his constant presence. I need to realize that sometimes my feelings will lead me astray, but regardless I can always count on God's help and presence, even when I can't feel it. I’ve learned through his Word that He will never leave me. He has promised this repeatedly. Yet God has not promised that I will always feel his presence. God acknowledges that sometimes he will hide his face from me, and there will be times when it appears to be missing-in-action. This is a normal part of the testing and maturing of my friendship with Him. When God seems distant, it may feel like he is angry with or disciplining me for some sin. But often this feeling of abandonment or estrangement from God has nothing to do with sin. Rather It will be a test of faith, one I must face: so will I continue to love, trust, obey, and worship during these periods. The most common mistake is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. But God wants to remove feelings so I won’t depend on them. Instead, he wants to draw me into a deeper relationship with him.

Father thank you for this reminder. I ask that the Holy Spirit remind me of this in times when I don’t feel your presence. I ask this in your Son Jesus’ name, amen.

God Is Real, No Matter How I Feel

In looking at Isaiah 8:17 this morning, I read, “The LORD has hidden himself from his people, but I trust him and place my hope in him.” (GNT)

Isaiah decided to wait for the Lord. Patient waiting becomes the most difficult testing I can face. I'm reminded that many of the prophecies God gave through the prophets would not come true for 700 years; others still haven't been fulfilled. Am I willing to accept the Lord's timing and not mine?

It’s easy to worship God when things are going great in life; when he’s provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But circumstances are not always pleasant. How do I worship God then? What do I do when God seems a million miles away?

The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving him when he seems distant.

To mature my friendship, God will test it with periods of seeming separation, times when it seems as if he has abandoned or forgotten me. God feels a million miles away. 

God called King David “a man after my own heart” (see 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22), yet David sometimes complained about God’s apparent absence:

“Lord, why are you standing aloof and far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?” (Psalm 10:1 TLB).

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” (Psalm 22:1 NLT).

“Why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 43:2 GNT; see also Psalm 44:23; 74:11; 88:14; 89:49).

Of course, God hadn’t really left David, and he’ll never leave you. God has promised repeatedly, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 GNT).

While it’s ok to ask where he is, I must put my trust that he is there and will do what’s for my best.

In summary, while it may seem that the Lord has hidden himself from me, I need to continue to put my trust and place my hope in him. Patient waiting becomes the most difficult testing I can face. Am I willing to accept the Lord's timing and not mine? It’s easy to worship God when things are going great. But circumstances are not always pleasant. What do I do when God seems a million miles away? The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving him when he seems distant. To mature my friendship, God will test it with periods of seeming separation. While it’s ok to ask where he is, I must put my trust that he is there and will do what’s for my best.

Father, today’s study of your Word and this devotional, help remind me that I need to put my trust in you no matter how long it takes. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may I be reminded of your faithfulness even when it seems nothing is happening to make the situation better. Help remind me to be faithful in the waiting. For you are doing something only you can do through it. I ask you today for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus’ name, amen.