Heavenly Father, let me get out of your way as you make me an instrument of your peace.
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We will all face trials and difficulties in our lives. Oftentimes, bad things even happen to seemingly good people. Sometimes, it is the attacks of the enemy to knock us off our path of righteousness in our walk with the Lord. The more devoted we attempt to be, the harder evil will try to make us stumble, so as to make us look like hypocrites to those of whom justify their iniquity.
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Whatever the difficulty we face, God has our back. As we enter into a trial, which is usually allowed by God to bring us to a higher level of spiritual relationship with Him. Many times, as in the case with Job, it will start out as an attack from the enemy, and God will allow the situation to go just far enough to effect our life, in His Glory, or the lives of people around us.
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The important thing to know, is that the outcome will be effected by how we deal with the trial we have been given. The degree of our faith will determine how prolonged our suffering must be to achieve our required level. The level is determined by our degree of faith. When situations are cast upon us we do not understand, the first human reaction is usually from emotion.
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The level of pain we experience in any situation is determined by our willingness to allow our emotions to control our actions, or reactions. Most people want to re-act, rather than act, in an appropriate manner in accord with a healthy outcome. The enemy know our weaknesses, and what will hurt us the most. He will attempt to show us things, which may, or may not, be true.
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The most important action, especially in the more severe trials, is not to re-act. The more we stress or give into the emotions, the more our perspective will be redirected away from a more perfect solution to the crisis. Panic just makes any situation worse than it is, and hinders any progress to a solution. Any emotional level of dealing with any type of crisis, deters us from a healthy outcome. We have all heard the old advice to never make an important decision while under emotion.
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I have seen so many people, while in the midst of a trial, continue to hurt, and give into the emotions which control their thoughts and perspective. There can never be a rational decision made, or most especially, a profession of faith, while we are letting emotions rule our outcome. Faith, in the unseen works of the Lord, is the only way to a healthy resolve for all involved. Our Father in Heaven wants us to come to Him for our needs. When we ask for His help, in Jesus' name, we are to have faith He has heard our petition, and is responding in the best way for our need and for His Glory.
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People will pray for a need and continue to fret over the need. They will pray the same prayer over and over, as though God didn't hear them, and continue to suffer, as though in disbelief He will answer. If we do not believe He is working on our life, He will not. If we insist on staying in the trial, we will. The prolonged suffering is entirely up to us. As we have faith, and let the situation go, we show others around us His Glory in how He is working. If we show calamity in our life, and no Glory to our Lord, what have we gained, but, calamity?
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God's people were led out of bondage in Egypt, only to wander around the same mountain for forty years, as they had no faith God would lead them to the Promised Land
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The shortest distance to a solution in our trials, is the distance between our knees and the ground; the distance of our hands stretched toward Heaven. Sometimes, especially depending on our stubbornness, God will wait until the darkest hour to respond to our prayers, as He wants everyone around us to know, without any doubt, that it couldn't have been anything other than His intervention, for His Glory. This is especially true when He knows we will not testify to His Glory, which, sadly, most professed Christians will not do.
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In some situations, the resolve is not always the one we hope for, but, the one more suitable for our needs. The Lord knows all things considered and has already enacted certain protection and a path for our good, and for our salvation. Through our faith, we enable His wisdom to bring us to the best resolve. For example, in the case of a marriage gone awry, it may not be in our best interest for the covenant to be restored, even though that is His Will.
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If one partner in a marriage covenant is corrupted into a life of selfishness through adultery or other fleshly desires, it would be disastrous to bring them back into our lives. The wayward partner is not in a relationship with the Lord, and would only tend to further place us in harm's way. God will not allow us to be placed into a situation where it will lead us away from Him. He expects us to grieve our loss, but, at the same time, have faith that He is acting for our good.
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When we are caught up in our desire to make an arcane situation resolute to our perspective, we are not trusting God's wisdom. He wants His children in a place of acceptance and reliance on His purpose for our lives. Whether it involves a relationship, a career, health matters, big or small, we must trust in His judgement, rather than our own. If we are in perfect faith and unity with the Holy Spirit, we already posses the same powers to 'move mountains' in our life, as Jesus possessed when He walked the earth.
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All Christians should have heard at one time or another we are to worship with joy, when going through trials, or storms. That is not always easily achieved in the midst of our suffering, but, it must be, for God's perfect Will to be achieved. We cannot go in a different direction, than that of the Will of the Father. The sooner we comply, and let go of our will, the sooner His work is realized, and His Will revealed. At times our suffering may be so great, it is difficult to utter a sound. This is when we need to persist the most.
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When we are hurting so bad it seems impossible to pray, just keep saying Jesus' name over and over. He doesn't expect fancy prayers, but, for us to become humble as little children, and consider Him as our Father, whose only purpose is to give us what we need. If our worldly parents, who are corrupt with sin, want the best for us, imagine how our Holy Father, with pure agape love, cares for us. When we have petitioned the Lord in the middle of a storm, for His perfect resolve, we must know in our heart, it is done.
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Find some Praise and Worship music, and focus on the Lord's face; praying for His Will and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will give us peace if we ask for it. Let go of what troubles you and think about reaching out in prayer for others. There will be moments of sorrow and grieving, but, with an overlying understanding that He will never abandon you, the Holy Spirit will lift you up and out of any depression, or oppression, which the enemy uses to overwhelm, and lead us away from our blessings.
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The Bible, the inerrant Word of God, is the greatest self-help book in the world. I could have spent thousands of dollars on counselling, and not received the guidance I've received in my times of trouble as that of our awesome Father, who art in Heaven. Once we have made it through the storm, it is time for forgiveness. Forgiveness is the next necessary step in healing. We will address this next. Have faith in the Lord, and Praise Him.
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If you are trying to make God your co-pilot, you are sitting in the wrong seat!!!
