Hope and Strength in Christ

The sky
The sky (photo: Pixabay)
By En TiJuly 27th, 2020

I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

When we face suffering, what happens to our relationship with God? Some people turn their backs on God and stop taking refuge in him. Some calm down and pray, choose to live in Christ, and build a strong faith that helps them overcome the difficulties they encounter in life.

Our help comes from God for his loving kindness endures for ever. Even when we are in trouble, God is truly with us. However, the devil works to break our bond with God. He tempts us to focus on things that entangle us and pressures us. Then we lose love and trust for God.

God is concerned about every service we offer to him, every devotional that comes from our hearts, and every praise that we give him. Those are good moments when we rebuild intimacy with God. That Jesus is Christ should not be a slogan. It should be the firm confession of Christians and the source from which we have the courage to face life.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Believe in the existence of God and also believe that he will bless me if I am searching for his help. The essence of faith is not conceptual, but a living and organic relationship. Before God blesses a person, he will first check if they have faith in him and have a heart that seeks him actively. It is the premise of whether one’s spiritual life is renewed or not.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

What are the faith and foundation behind Jesus’ words? To save us, Jesus Christ became flesh. He served the sinners on the earth, was crucified on the cross, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. He will come again. Jesus absolutely believed in God’s justice and promise. He trusted God’s love and that this was the best plan for him. This faith overcame the temptation of fame and the death threat from Satan.

Changing rules and circumstances bring anxiety and fear to many people. The essential wisdom is that how this world manipulates people’s souls. We give the world the chance of influencing us when we refuse to depend on God and affirm his existence.

The rule of the world is that personal safety lies in the extent of your possessions and how much money you control. Your value is based on your achievements. But the Bible tells us that is a lie. Since we are created in the image of God, the image inside us is honorable and priceless. Our dignity and peace come from God’s grace and blessings.

We need to be convinced that God loves the world and his justice and loving-kindness endure for ever. Today whatever circumstance you face, don’t forget that God reveals his perfection through your weakness. When we admit and confess, “the end of man is the beginning of God,” we can understand more deeply the world of the resurrection: “When I humble myself and turn to Christ, the God who loves me immediately arranges the most suitable path for me.”

I hope we can hold fast to God’s unchanging faithfulness and justice so we can deal with all of the changes and difficulties in our life. Let Jesus Christ become the center of all the things we do so that our feet can be like the feet of a deer and we can reach new heights by his grace and guidance. 

- Translated by Karen Luo

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