Overcoming Negative Circumstances

"Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens.  Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.  Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.  Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." -Ps 143:7 & 8

Sometimes life is hard.  When we go through difficult seasons, we may question God's presence, His goodness, His love for us, or the dreams He placed within us.  "Why on earth would this happen to me, God, if You are loving and just!?" we may ask.

However, this is exactly the posture the enemy wants us to have.  Whenever bad things happen, as they did to Job, the enemy wants to get in the middle and tell us God doesn't love us, He doesn't care about us, and He doesn't have a plan for our lives. He wants us to turn against our God.  These statements are a complete and total lie!

But, how do we get to the truth, when all our circumstances point to the negative?  It may be that we have never known anything besides the negativity that surrounds us. 

First, we need to get in the word, to read what God says about us and our situation.  We need to pray, even if we don't feel like it.  We need to worship, to praise God in spite of whatever is going on - in His word it says that praise is the antidote for heaviness.  (Is 6:13) We need to get around encouraging people.  And most of all we need to believe - to have faith that in spite of any difficulty, our God is still victorious.  We have to realize that we live in a fallen world, and that God does not want us to go through negative things, but He will use them for our good. (Romans 8:28)

Are you going through something negative right now?  Stay in faith, let God be your hope, and even if things don't change immediately stay in faith that God will do what He promised. The answer may not come at the time we expect, but it doesn't change the fact that God loves us, and sent His son to die for us, so that we could live in heaven, eternally with Him.

The Gift in Singleness

“But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.” -1 Corinthians 7:7

Paul talks in 1 Corinthians about the question of whether it is better to be married or single. He expresses the idea that it’s okay to be married, but to not seek out a relationship if you’re single.  (1 Cor 7: 27)

I believe as a culture we’ve done a great disservice to people who are single.  Our churches are filled with families, and often the church can become a “meat market” for getting into relationship with someone.  We may feel pressured to be in a relationship in order to fit in.  We may fear being alone. But, the time when we’re single is in fact our greatest opportunity to serve God and develop a deeper relationship with Him.  (1 Cor 7:32-35) 

Many of us had family situations that were less than ideal growing up. We might have been given a blueprint to look for a dysfunctional mate as a result of our upbringing.  Or, we might still be looking to resolve issues of love, acceptance, and value by getting into relationship with other people, when we need to look to God for that unconditional love and acceptance.

What are some of the things you can do while you are single to prepare for God’s future blessings in your life?

• Set out to discover your personality, gifts and talents, and most of all your passion
• Find places to serve God, in your church and community - perhaps even abroad
• Further your skills by investing in training or education
• Develop kingdom relationships with people who have similar desires

Treasure the time you have while you are single.  It is a gift, just as much as being married is a gift.  When you honor God with everything you have and seek Him, He will honor you in that.  We find that when we delight ourselves in God, He will give us the desires of our heart.  (Ps 37:4)