Encouraging Word If You’re Struggling Today
Dear Presence-seeking friends,
2018 is drawing to a close. I don’t know about you, but it’s been one of the hardest years I can remember for me. But, it has also been:
- One of the years in which God has done more work in my heart than I can remember in other years.
- It’s the year in which He has been moving across His people to put steel in our spines.
- It’s the year in which He has shown us that we can be stronger than we ever dreamed.
- And it’s the year in which He has shown us that His promises are more literal than we ever dreamed.
Beloved, if 2018 has been a tough year for you, know that Papa had a plan and a purpose for allowing those things.
He didn’t necessarily cause what you went through. I don’t know your circumstances, so I can’t say if He caused them or not. Some of the things we go through are just because we live in a sin-filled world with sin-filled people. Some adversities truly are because God sent us into them. And, some things we go through are simply the consequences of our own actions.
Regardless of why your particular circumstances happened, if you went through something, Father God allowed it. And if He allowed it, it’s only because He has a plan to work it out for your good.
God only sends you into battle when He wants you to win something.
There is always an enemy to defeat, a battle to win, and a promotion to be gained. In the Bible, David went after Goliath not because he woke up one morning and wanted to fight. Instead, David went after Goliath because he had a cause, a reward, and outrageous, bold FAITH.
And beloved, in 2018, if you were willing to receive it, God grew your faith. He revealed Himself to you through thick and thin, and He showed you that He is willing and able to redeem your life.
Did you hear that? I’ll say it again, in case:
Father God is ready, willing, and able to redeem, HEAL, and restore your life.
No matter what you’ve been through, there is hope. But you have to ask Him; you have to throw yourself on Him and His mercy, acknowledging that without Him you can do nothing. There is power in acknowledging our own fleshly weakness to God, as long as we follow it up by acknowledging His superior strength and willingness to help us.
It’s not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit that everything can change for you.
So, sweet friend, if you find yourself in need of change …
… If this morning finds you at the end of your rope …
… If you are desperate to see God at work in your life TODAY …
Throw yourself at His feet. Cast your cares upon Him. Not in a whining, poor-me kind of way; that won’t get you anywhere. But “be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”
Why do you have to ask? Why won’t He just do it?
Because the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to God, but the earth He has given to the children of men (Psalm 115:16). You have authority over your own life, and God will not violate your free will. So if you want God to move, you have to ask Him.
That’s why Hebrews 4:16 says:
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Prayer is how we ask. It’s how we claim God’s promises in faith. It’s how we cast our burdens upon the Lord, so that He can sustain us.
Ask. Seek. Knock. And then receive.
Beloved, you have a Father who loves you. He is ready and willing to move on your behalf.
Will you throw yourself on His mercy today? Will you ask Him for the grace and help you need? 2018 is over after today. Just a few more hours. And although there’s nothing magic about calendar years being over, we tend to think of calendar years in terms of new seasons–and they are. God anoints the new thing and the new year; He loves new things. And your 2019 can look completely different than your 2018 did.
Father loves you. He sees what you’ve been going through. His eye is on the sparrow; will He not much more surely watch over you? No matter what you have been through in 2018, Father is with you. He wants to help you right now, and He has more good in store for you than you could possibly imagine.
Love in Christ,
Jamie
Thank you! I needed to hear this today! I’m ready for HIM to launch me into a new career and I know that my breakthrough is here! Amen!
Amen!! Praise God for He is good. His Mercy endures forever. Psalm 100
Blessings to all my sisters and brothers in Christ. ?
Amen
Thank you so kindly for your encouraging email it is good to be reminded about the promises of God through Jesus Christ
I too have had a challenging year, yet it was the very best year for growing deep roots in His word every lesson, every trial, every tear can be used by God to bring His peace alone in my life, when everyone left me, husband, children, siblings, friends it was hard to fine the purpose of God in all I was going through but I hung on to His word that He spoke to me saying
“I am the Redeemer” little did I know what I must let go of to follow His path alone, as I came to understand that I could not have one foot in the world and one foot in Christ
One must give Him everything in order to receive everything that He has planned for your life from the very beginning.
Its us who has to let go first then He will do His part and fill us with wisdom, knowledge, all the fruit of the spirit matured in us as we let go little by little.
Its a walk we take, a very long walk and sometimes we can through stones on out path and sometimes others thoughts stone but it to know that with Jesus we can overcome all hindrances if we stay rooted and grounded in who He is…
I pray that who ever reads this will be blessed in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ as we walk another day in His Truth Amen and Amen xx
I will go into 2019 resting in God’s peace. Everything I went through these last 4 months did indeed build up my Faith. God responds to Faith. I wanna thank you for your words of encouragement daily. Thank you soooo much.
Hi Jamie…thankyou so much for your words of encouragement..Im sure everyone agrees they are timely and heaven sent. God is using you mightily and will reward you for your faithfulness…hope Bruce is feeling much better and a Happy and Peaceful New Year to you and your family..God bless you..you have been such a help to me …thankyou xx
Absolutely beautiful post…CONFIRMATION from yesterdays message at church as Pastor spoke about Joshua 7 and 8 and the battle….and how we need the things that may not have been so good to get to the ultimate victory…Thank you, Jamie…Happy New Year!!!
Jamie, I thank you for this word today. May you and your family, ministry have a bless New Year. I speak Favor and Blessings over you all for this Year 2019.
Love Mrs. Millie
Yes, this year has been a tough one for me. Three of my 4 sons got married. The last wedding was 12/29 and it was the hardest. It was so hard watching their relationship blossom. The bride probably thought something was wrong with me as I couldn’t find the joy. My relationship with my husband was/is always very difficult but it was the way I as raised 2nd was used to that kind of treatment. He’s been retired now for a year. It’s not over yet…..
I also can say that this year was intense in growing in faith, we’ve got peace althogh situation we live in is not very peaceful. We live in Ukraine, country in kind of war with Russia… But we expirience peace that only God can give??
God bless your ministry. I’m in the process of being ordained. I been in prayer and God want me to sow into your ministry this year. I will be sowing as much as I can. God bless you