Staying Encouraged in Rough Times

[TrulyBlessed]

How do you do it?

This morning I was in my first serious car accident...thank God neither I or the other driver were injured. My car looks like it will be marked as totaled. The devil wants me to feel miserable about it...years ago if anything went wrong, I would brush it off my shoulder, be strong and move forward, but now I'm at a point in life where things always seem to be going wrong and then something else happens to dump over everything else I'm dealing with...now when God tests me I feel like I'm growing weaker instead of stronger...I want to keep my head up, but I'm scared that God will see that I'm being strong and he will allow me to endure yet another trial in my life...I wish He would say enough is enough and allow me to have complete happiness again...I stay prayed up, go to church, attend bible study yet I don't understand why I'm still going through...I know these things in life happen but when problems start coming back to back in a short span of time, how do you deal without falling apart?

 

[BlkHoneyLuv2U]

I do so feel you on this. But we have to stay strong and go through. Just this morning, I asked God to forgive me for acting like the children of Isreal out in the wilderness who had saw the great works of God, yet each time they faced trouble, they forgot about His past mighty works and started to mumble and complain. I admitted to God, though He already knew that I am guilty of this. God has brought me through so much, showed up just in the nick of time to save the day, yet when troubles come, I act as if I dont know that He is there for me. I forget all He has done in the past. Jump up and down, cry, scream, ask why, why, why. Wen I do come to my senses and realize tht God is in control and I will be okay, I feel so ashamed because I feel that I have failed God by becoming discouraged. I pray ask Him to forgive me then go forward to try and get ready for the next battle. We have to remember that the same God that is with us on the mountain top when all is bright and sunny, is the same God when we are down in the valley and the storm winds are blowing, the waters rising and it seems as if we're about to go under for the third time. Thats when we have to remembe to look up, God's helping hand is reaching out to pull us up, to rescue us, to keep us safe and make it all alright.

 

[GodsPromises]

As always thanks Ladydee for stepping all on my toes

I do so feel you on this. But we have to stay strong and go through. Just this morning, I asked God to forgive me for acting like the children of Isreal out in the wilderness who had saw the great works of God, yet each time they faced trouble, they forgot about His past mighty works and started to mumble and complain. I admitted to God, though He already knew that I am guilty of this. God has brought me through so much, showed up just in the nick of time to save the day, yet when troubles come, I act as if I dont know that He is there for me. I forget all He has done in the past. Jump up and down, cry, scream, ask why, why, why. Wen I do come to my senses and realize tht God is in control and I will be okay, I feel so ashamed because I feel that I have failed God by becoming discouraged. I pray ask Him to forgive me then go forward to try and get ready for the next battle. We have to remember that the same God that is with us on the mountain top when all is bright and sunny, is the same God when we are down in the valley and the storm winds are blowing, the waters rising and it seems as if we're about to go under for the third time. Thats when we have to remembe to look up, God's helping hand is reaching out to pull us up, to rescue us, to keep us safe and make it all alright.

 

[BlkHoneyLuv2U]

I've been in a praise and worship mood all day. I cant stop talking about God, and His goodness. I have decided that today, I would let no negative energy invade my space. I feel like I got a new bf that I got to tell everybody about. I'm sitting and just rocking to and fro and side to side smiling. I havent felt this much joy in a while. I have a feeling of expectency or something. HE'S SWEET I KNOW. I done danced all over my living room, woke my kids up blasting the music and just walking the floor crying and praising him. Its been an awesome day.

 

[BlkHoneyLuv2U]

As always thanks Ladydee for stepping all on my toes

LadyR get ready, that breakthrough is on its way. As TD Jakes like to say " get ready, get ready, get ready"

 

[ClassicChic]

Awww, LadyD. You always know what to say.

I am currently reading the "Purpose Driven Life". There is a chapter titled 'When God Seems Distant'. A great read indeed.

"...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.....This is a normal part ot the testing and maturing of your 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 your faith. ....It is a test of faith--one we all must face: Will you continue to love, trust, obey, and worship God, even when you have no sense of his presence or visible evidence of his work in your life? ....Yes, he wants you to sense his pressence, but he's more concerned that you trust him than that you feel him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God............How do you praise god when you don't understand what's happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they're full of tears? You 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.'" Purpose Driven Life

I want you to know that you are not alone. It seems as though my life has been full of trials and it felt like I was the only person on this earth going through "stuff". I have recently learned that although I may not feel His presence, that my trust in Him knows that he is there (Thanks LadyD, for bringing this to my attention).

 

[GodsPromises]

Girl, it's on. He's sweet I know, storm clouds may raise, but He's sweet I know.

Thanks Sis as always.

 

[TrulyBlessed]

Ladydee, I just want to thank you soooo much for taking the time to meet me right where I am with your post. I can honestly say that i felt a lot better after reading and still rereading. When I read the part about how God brings you through situations just in the nick of time and all his past mighty works, I knew that I needed to dry my tears and remember those moments instead focusing only on the negative. I'm at that young adult stage where God is shaping and molding me in all kinds of ways but one, and I guess I'm not used to all these trials flying at me with some still unresolved. It's interesting that in hard times of others, I'm quick to tell someone to be strong, but when I'm going through, I'm about to lose my mind. I guess I needed to hear an encouraging word from someone who can relate with me. So thanks Ladydee for taking the time to help keep me encouraged and the advice that I will take to heart. Your post is Godsent.

 

[TrulyBlessed]

Thank you Cherokee for posting this passage...I have the book and I guess that will be a chapter that I need to read before I end my day.

 

[TrustMeLove]

We've come this far, by faith. Leaning on the Lord. Trusting in his holy word. He never failed me yet.

Nobody told me, the road would be easy, and I don't believe hes brought me this far to leave me.

Get ready, for your blessing. For your blessing. Get ready, for your miracle. FOR YOUR MIRACLE. Gods got a blessing,with your name on it. With your name on it.

We made it, we survived when the enemy came in to take our lives. God lifted a standard divine protection. No weapon formed shall prosper against us. I made it this far by faith, my future brighter than my today. Im holding on to my praise, I made it, I survived.

Im a singer..you know your a singer when you wake up daily with a song on your lips, so thats why I say im a singer, a praiser..etc

This is what ive been given to share. These songs lift my spirit. Even when it seems down I know through the journey of these songs, that I will make it.

 

[Country gal]

I think you should read the book of Lamentations. It is a book in the bible that focuses on the great sorrow the Iraselities faced after the exile to Babylon. The writer is lamenting how horrible and miserable their conditions are but in the midst of his struggling with why, he starts saying that God will forgive us and protect us. God will make a way. Sometimes in life we do struggle with no apparent end in sight but God will take care of the loyal and faithful. He always loves us even when he is punishing us for our sins. He wants us to come back to him and be loyal. He doesn't like to punish but he will if we continue to disobey his laws.

 

[BlkHoneyLuv2U]

Thanks Sbaker, this is one book that I have overlooked, but will go back and read.