Verse of the Day

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

Quote of the day

“Oh! it is a great blessing to be put through the fire, if you come out purified. It is a sweet mercy to have to go through the floods, if some filthiness may thereby be removed. The children of Israel went down to Egypt to sojourn there, but after hard servitude and cruel oppression they came up out of it with silver and gold, much enriched by their bondage.”

– Charles Spurgeon

Reflection

If it weren’t for God’s mercy, we would not survive the hardships we face in life. According to v.22 of today’s verse, we may rest assured that God’s compassion is unfailing. Take a few moments to think back to the last major trial you faced in your life. Perhaps it involved a health scare, traumatic accident, or the loss of a loved one. It may have been scary, painful, or difficult to endure, but God showed up, didn’t He? Often, these circumstances make little sense in the moment, but when we look back, God may bless us with the insight to realize why they happened.

Take heart that even the most seasoned believers may face doubts amid storms like those mentioned above. However, even when we dwell in those doubts, we are wise to remember God’s perfect track record in our lives and remain steadfast (1 Corinthians 15:58). The best course of action is always to swiftly turn to our Savior, Jesus Christ, to navigate us through everything. Draw near to Him in times of tribulation as well as times of abundance (James 4:8). He was, is, and always will remain with us to help us navigate life’s unpredictability (Psalm 32:8). The world and our circumstances in it may bring unexpected challenges. Still, God remains the same (Hebrews 13:8). He is our anchor of hope, in whom we can take refuge and draw strength (Hebrews 6:19, Psalm 46:1-11).

It’s verses like v.22 that provide the spiritual fuel to motivate us to persevere alongside our Savior. Otherwise, we would be consumed if we tried to achieve success on our own. We must humble ourselves and cling to the Lord’s mercy. In His compassion, He is so patient with us (James 5:11).

In v.23, we discover that those mercies and compassions are new every morning. God’s patience and mercy with us should lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). We all miss the mark and struggle with sin (Romans 3:23). As believers we must remain vigilant and avoid complacency in our walk with the Lord (1 Peter 5:8), because we don’t want to fall back into old patterns of habitual sin and minimize circumstances that may lead us to compromise (Galatians 5:1). We must thank God that His mercies and compassion remain with us because we still fight sin and desperately need Him to provide us with that continuous supply of mercy and compassion daily (Psalm 145:8).

Application

If we are honest with ourselves, we recognize that we still sin and must continue to confess our sins, ask God to forgive us, and seek Him to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (Luke 17:3-4, 1 John 1:9). According to v.23, God remains faithful to extend His grace and mercy to us every morning. It’s comforting to know that it is available to us as believers.

After all, if God was patient with us before we came to saving faith, why would He turn us away now (2 Peter 3:9)? If God was with us through the fiery trial we faced, why would we worry that He will abandon us now (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Daniel 3:28)? Look back at God’s perfect track record in your life. When you looked for trouble yourself, wasn’t He there to welcome you back with open arms (Luke 15:11-32)?

Of course, none of us wants any more trials than we already have to contend with. Life is hard enough as it is. We must aim to rejoice, trust God, and persevere through trials, but they’re not something I think anyone seeks to grow in frequency (James 1:2-8). However, even if we do face immense trials throughout our lives, that temporary pain is not worthy of comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

If you find yourself in the furnace of affliction and prolonged suffering, God may be providing you with blessings you aren’t even aware are possible (1 Peter 1:6-9). What if He is preparing you for the next assignment in His plan? What if He is using your circumstances to exemplify to your peers how a faithful believer handles trouble (Job 23:10)? Maybe He is protecting you from making a poor decision. Perhaps He is providing you with a new trajectory in your life. What if the trial chisels your character for the better, similar to the way gold is purified in the furnace (Isaiah 48:10)?

No matter how you look at it, you must hold fast to God and remember that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He has full authority to humble those who are exalted and exalt those who He has humbled (Matthew 23:12). God has provided us with everything we need for this season (Philippians 4:19). So whether He entrusts us with more, or even takes away, we must not lose our hope (Matthew 25:14-30). We may lose material possessions, opportunities, careers, abilities, or even loved ones in this life (Luke 14:28-33). But you know what we’ll never lose? God’s love and our relationship with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:31-39). That’s why it’s such a strong position when our foundation centers on our identity in Jesus Christ above all else (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In the end, if you take away nothing else, you can find true and lasting strength in the joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10). Then you will know that even in trial, you can retain your composure as you rest your hope in the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It will speak volumes to those around you about your unshakable faith in the One who will never let you down. We can overcome all the struggles this life has to offer through Jesus Christ (Psalm 118)! Even if we lose everything else we hold dear, if we have Jesus Christ, we have it all (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5-6). But if we have everything else, other than the Lord, we have not one ounce of eternal value (Mark 8:36-37).

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for another day of life. Please help me to remember that You are there for me at all times. Thank You for informing me, through Your word, that I can come boldly to Your throne of grace. Thank You for giving me the gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, without You, Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit, there is no hope. Thank You for remaining with me even when I struggle with sin and fall short of Your glory. Thank You for delivering me from my sin, helping me to repent, and cleansing me of all unrighteousness. Please help me to remain steadfast, in lockstep with Your will for me.

Please align me with Your will for me. I want my thoughts and desires to lead me in the direction You desire for me to traverse. Please help me find joy in all circumstances and continually seek You, no matter if I find myself in times of ease, trial, or even peril.

Your Son, Jesus Christ, faced tumultuous circumstances throughout His life. Yet You sent Him to live a perfect life and die on the cross for my sins. As such, please help me abstain from evil so that I don’t grieve the Holy Spirit, disobey Your commands, or take for granted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, where He washed away my sins once and for all.

Thank You for Your compassion and mercy. Thank You for reminding me that You are faithful even when I stumble. You knew I would need a fresh dose of Your mercy and compassion every morning. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would look like outside of Your supernatural provision. Thank You for never letting me down, leaving me, or giving up on me. Please continue to help me grow into the God-fearing man You desire me to become.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.

In today’s video, we cover James 5:7-12. Let’s consider how to persevere through life’s trials and challenges. How did people like Daniel and Job overcome their battles with daunting circumstances? Explore these ideas and related scripture to obtain our ultimate peace and reassurance in Jesus Christ!

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Note: I recommend you never substitute my instruction or anyone else’s for your time in the Bible. I can only hope to deliver accurate exegesis and do my best to keep it free from error. Feel free to reach out if you have a Biblically sound reason to correct me on any of my content.

Elements of discomfort often form a basis for substantial progress in life. Have you ever examined the biographies of people who led successful lives? It particularly rings true for those who generated eternal value through serving God. They often share remarkably uncomfortable anecdotes of pasts riddled with struggles. Yet, instead of allowing such obstacles to derail their lives, they eventually persevered amid adversity with God’s provision (Philippians 4:13). Their difficulties appeared insurmountable. Still, God saw it fit to help them conquer the giants in their lives (1 Samuel 17:50-51). Some Biblical examples include the likes of King David, Job, Daniel, and the Apostle Paul, to name a few of my favorites.

All the glory related to resolving such situations points towards the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The only One who can make what is impossible in the sight of man possible despite all the odds firmly against it (Matthew 19:26). Furthermore, He can take what is meant for evil by our adversary and turn it around for good in ways we do not see coming. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but God had a greater plan despite his hardship (Genesis 50:20). A whale swallowed Jonah. However, God decided his story was far from over (Jonah 2:10). The Israelites wandered the wilderness for roughly forty years (Joshua 5:6), but God provided for them in their distress and never abandoned them (Exodus 16:12). God’s people, including you and I, are often strategically placed in situations designed to lead us back to Him. Whether we understand it or not, we must concede to God’s will. Trust that His plans are infinitely superior to ours (Romans 8:28). If we faithfully surrender to His will above ours, it is only a matter of time before we reap the fruit of obedience (John 15:7-9).

The rigors of our unpredictable lives also form the contrast by which we can measure our numerous blessings. For instance, maybe you lost your job, struggled to find a new path forward for several months, and got dangerously close to burning through your entire emergency fund. Then, suddenly, God opens the door to that new employer, and you recover financially through that fresh opportunity. If this happened in my life, my gratitude for employment would be significantly greater than if everything had gone smoothly from the beginning (James 1:2-4). The newfound appreciation for a new workplace, and God’s role in finding me that unique position, would make me look at the same circumstances in an altogether different light (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Excess comfort can also breed laziness and complacency. If everything comes easy to us without a battle, we will fail to appreciate the magnitude of our blessing. No wonder those who become suddenly wealthy from such avenues as lottery winnings or inheritances often squander them (Luke 15:13-14). When someone lacks experience dealing with that wealth level and does not respect the degree of effort required to build it, the story, unfortunately, writes itself. Such situations require a great deal of prayer and wisdom if one is to be a good steward of such monetary responsibilities in the sight of God (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

Finally, for better or worse, discomfort can push us forward to our goals at an accelerated pace. It may also serve as a reminder of the urgency to do God’s work compared to circumstances that may not frequently highlight the scarcity of time. When we operate as if we have all the time in the world, we will not evangelize, disciple, or generally serve God with the same zeal (Romans 13:11). Alternatively, we would if we consistently recognized how fleeting life is (James 4:14).

God often reminds us of individual limitations through the reality of uncomfortable situations tied to extraordinary challenges. Thus we must turn to Him for help, and that continuous reliance will quickly eliminate any fable of self-perceived invincibility we may feel inclined to entertain (Psalm 39:4-6). Instead, humbly seeking God and submitting to His guidance is crucial. It will provide the ideal outcome for us with eternity in mind (James 4:6). Ultimately, many comforts and luxuries can be indulged in moderation when we know our priorities are in order (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9).

One possible consideration is that God might be preparing our character (Ephesians 2:10). Facing trials may put the kind of pressure on us that we have never dealt with before. When you and I find ourselves in a situation where we must confront such obstacles, God provokes us to step out in faith. Sure, we could choose to be angry at God, throw a pity party, and give up. However, God knows we can mourn the loss, draw nearer to Him, and rely on Him to overcome the seemingly impossible instead (Proverbs 3:5-6). If we never came across this kind of testing in life, we might come to a point where we are too comfortable (James 1:2-8). Extreme comfort can breed complacency and lack of purpose, neither of which we ought to desire. In these times, we need to take refuge under the shelter of our unchanging (Hebrews 13:8), omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), omniscient (Psalm 147:5), and omnipresent God (Psalm 91:1-4). We need to remember His promises to us and seek Him whole-heartedly (Jeremiah 29:13), knowing that He would not allow anything to transpire that didn’t work out for His eternal glory and our eternal good (Romans 8:28).

Sometimes the difficulty is far less dramatic but still substantial enough to lead us to our knees. Maybe your best friend since childhood moved away, or you had a rough week at work. Indeed, we could try to handle these issues on our strength, but why not bring them to God first? We should pray for wisdom and discernment when we have a significant decision, but we do not have an obvious answer. Life will throw us all curveballs. It is only a matter of time before we face the next one. 

If we have faith in God, how can we justify not bringing such matters to His attention right away? He knew what was coming, when it was coming, and how it would transpire. It is up to us to recognize that while God is sovereign, He has divinely orchestrated everything to happen in a way that takes prayers and individual accountability into consideration. You and I should not be discouraged from seeking God simply because we know He has it all under control. Remember, God not only wants to further our relationship with Him through our sole Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5-6), Jesus Christ, but He also desires us to align with His will willingly. What better way to do that than to reach out to Him and share our concerns transparently?

There are instances where God calls us to shift in direction. Occasionally, friends may draw closer or further away. Alternatively, people might come or go from your life altogether. Perhaps, He might lead you to transition away from a workplace or close a door you assumed would be open forever. At times these kinds of adjustments may be pretty intimidating. Especially when we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, facing unexpected tasks, and few allies we can trust whole-heartedly. 

It makes sense for us to seek God first and foremost in all circumstances and every area, but nothing drives us quite as quickly to our knees as these kinds of issues. Thankfully, we can trust God and even validate His faithfulness to us in our shared history with Him. Most of us need not look back too far if we are paying attention to see how God has never let us down or forgotten us (Hebrews 13:5). He might have allowed certain things seem not to have gone our way from our finite perspective. However, if we knew what God knows in His infinite wisdom, we would most certainly recognize His reasoning. If we saw the vision, eternal value, and purpose He has for things, it would not even cross our minds to question Him.

We need to step into the faith zone with God continually. No matter where you are, what you are coping with, or how far you still have to go, God will remain unchanging in the life of a believer (James 1:17, Malachi 3:6). His Word is a timeless resource and will always remain a written testament to His glory. The same way He was faithful in the lives of our forefathers who came before, He will stay so with us. God is not in the business of letting us down, and all the things we think are setbacks in one form or another point to a greater purpose in His plans from an eternal vantage point. May we faithfully and humbly pursue His will to bring Him glory accordingly and remember that His ways are always superior to our own (1 Peter 4:7-11).

Today’s video dives into James 1:19-27. You can find it at: SaviorandLord.com by clicking “Video Collection” or directly through the link in my bio. First, let’s consider some character traits that help us navigate life’s challenges. Whether you face a trial or desire to handle various social situations with finesse, I think this one has something for you. I pray that the insight blesses you today.  

Thanks for stopping by the channel. If you like the content and want to see more of it in the future, don’t forget to subscribe. Hit the notification bell to receive immediate updates when I upload new videos. May God bless you and your loved ones!

Nevertheless, there are risks to be taken in life that yield considerable upside by way of corresponding rewards. With that in mind, we must consider taking a leap of faith in some areas. When we don’t take any risks, we gravitate towards comfort and safety without expanding our horizons or enjoying potentially life-changing experiences.

With all this in mind, it is beautiful to recall the nature of God concerning His unchanging character, promises, and perfect track record in each of our lives. He never lets any of us down, despite our falling short of His glory numerous times. It is an extraordinary blessing to know that we can place our expectations on God’s eternal promises and take comfort in His sovereignty. It is possible to simultaneously embrace peace in the knowledge that He always stays faithful to His Word. It is only in our lack of understanding of His character, His Word, or the details that revolve around living as believers that we can feel let down. It will never be an instance where He forgot us or did not have every aspect of our lives accounted for perfectly. These situations call for us to draw closer to God rather than further away. They are a call to intimacy with God and reliance on Him to serve Him better and learn what we should draw from facing various challenges and trials.

It is never easy to face the daunting trials that this world occasionally presents us. However, when we are believers, we can choose to stay faithful to God and trust Him for each day’s portion of strength, provision, and faith to see us through until tomorrow. While we are not guaranteed an easy life in this world, we can find refuge in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He will never leave or forsake us. There will be times when we might even face issues that we could not resolve on our own, but He steps in and takes care of the gaps in our shortcomings.

Furthermore, there are many blessings that a tough season in life can provide us considering the long-term. For example, if we are struggling financially, God may be showing us how He may desire that we rely on Him for financial provision and job opportunities. If we grapple with a health issue, He could be demonstrating to us that He is capable of healing us over time or even overnight when we faithfully pray for His intervention. Perhaps we have faced the loss of a loved one, but He desires to bless us with His supernatural peace and provision in ways we never thought possible.

Numerous troubles could befall someone on this earth. Many of them do not have any easy explanation, nor are they effortless to process. However, our expectations can stay optimistic in terms of God’s plans remaining uncompromised. When a tragedy strikes, it does not imply that God forgot us or let us down. We need to stay faithful despite life’s storms because our expectations need to reside in our identity as believers, children of God, and ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Anything else, including other people we love dearly, can be taken away from us in the blink of an eye. However, when we know they are believers like us, we can rest assured that we will see them again in Heaven one day. This life is a breath compared to eternity, but our actions in utilizing our time here on earth echo through eternity. That stark reality ought to highlight the prominence of abiding in God and obeying His commands. If this small segment of time has eternal ramifications, it is clear we should be maximizing every moment for the glory of God.

As such, we need to get our fair share of sleep and rest but ultimately work on serving God as we are called, in every way we can. Then, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the fruits of our labor in Heaven. There is no need to overemphasize the pursuit of pleasure, fight to maintain an unrealistic level of happiness, or allow ourselves to be captivated by the ways of the world. Instead, we must remind ourselves to take up our cross daily and figure out how we will wake up to serve God and do everything as if unto Him.

Even the jobs, hobbies, or activities that may not appear to correlate directly in our minds with what we might consider ministry activities can be hidden opportunities to utilize for the glory of God. We could be playing billiards or cards and evangelize to our peers. Instead of only playing Basketball with a couple of friends from the gym, we might invite them to church or a Bible study as we socialize with them. Even if they are not initially receptive, that tiny seed you plant could have a tremendous impact on them further down the road.

Maybe you see no correlation between your job in the business sector and how you might serve God directly with it. However, you have not yet asked your co-workers about matters of the faith. Again, this might not yield immediate fruit, but you may be surprised what God might do with it. Sometimes, this may even come in the form of a divine appointment with someone on an airplane, at a bus stop, or in the cafe where you like to read or get work done.

Ultimately, God sees our hearts and motivations for what we do. Everyone can let us down, even perhaps our closest loved ones, from time to time. Therefore, we should calibrate our expectations carefully concerning other people. However, our expectancy is perfectly fit to trust God at His Word and obey it. We can expect good things to happen when we focus on living out God’s calling for our life. Again, that does not ensure smooth sailing for the rest of your life, but it does show God that you trust Him no matter what life throws at you. Let us not waver in our faith but stand steadfast and secure in God’s promises. After all, we know that things will work out for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). That includes those of us who have come to saving faith and are actively pursuing God’s will for our lives accordingly. Let that be part of the many expectancies you appreciate about God’s promises, and continue to grow that collection as you pursue understanding God through His timeless Word.