Walk in Joy Today - Hope Creel

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”      I Corinthians 15:57 

    I’ve had this verse on my phone screen for several weeks now.  It’s a great reminder to me every time I look at it, that as we pass through different seasons of our lives, our God is faithful to give us the victory. 

The victory may not come at the time we think it should, or how we think it should.  We may feel like we are trudging through the desert of our life alone, bearing the heavy burdens daily without help in sight. 

It is in these exact times and circumstances that God is working.   

Stay faithful in prayer, be faithful in fasting, and walk the next step in front of you daily trusting in Him. 

Our enemy, Satan, bombards our minds with doubts, confusion, unanswered questions and fears.  In the midst of these, God is working to bring us victory. 

As a side note, I have felt before in my life that if I was trusting God enough, or the way I should be, I wouldn’t struggle with these things.  If I truly depended on Him I wouldn’t worry or fear.   This is not true.  The Bible says that God knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)  God understands our thoughts afar off.  (Psalm 139:2)   God is greater than our heart and knows all things.  (I John 3:20)    If you feel this way, this is just another attempt from Satan to get you defeated.  Our salvation is not dependent on us, neither is the victory we need as we live our Christian lives.  HE gives us the victory because HE is a good God, gracious, loving, merciful, and kind.   When we see the cross, we see how much He cares and loves us. 

Right now my season of life is filled with helping our adult children navigate important life decisions, being a pastor’s wife and loving my church ladies, being a helpmeet to my wonderful godly husband the Lord gave me, and working a part-time job.    None of these things are new to each of you, and I know you understand the stress, the questions, the tiredness and overwhelm it can all bring.    But I am here to testify and praise the Lord for abundant answers to prayer and mountains that have been moved, and miracles that have been seen very recently in our lives because God Is Faithful and has given us victory.         These are words to an old song, and I found them in a book, made a copy and taped them in the front of my Bible:  

“Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?      Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?     Our God specializes in the impossible, He does the things no one else can do.” 

There are three words the Lord has put on my heart in recent days;  I have them written down and look at them frequently to help me remember: 

1.  Trust  

Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” 

2. Expect  

Psalm 27:13-14, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:  wait, I say, on the LORD.” 

3. Rest 

Exodus 33:14,  “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” 

God sees you right where you are, He feels what you feel, and He cares and rewards those who trust in Him.   Just like the words in that old hymn – Like A River Glorious –   “They who trust him wholly find Him wholly true.” 

Victory will come!  It will come again and again, at different times and seasons in our lives, according to His plan and will for each of us. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9    That’s a promise to hold onto!      Let God’s Word strengthen your heart and mind today.   

“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us:  this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”    Isaiah 25:9 

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  I Corinthians 15:57 

Walk in joy today!