The Lord is Always With Us

Romans 8:35
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"



God does not keep us immune from troubles; did not place an invisible shield about us to protect us from being hurt. But he says  "I will be with him in trouble." So many of us would experience more peace if we'd remember what he said. WITH US! How awesome is that? What else would we need in times of trouble, no matter what kind, if we'd only
believe these words as our children believe what we tell them.
  
Some people mistakenly believed that once they became a Christian nothing bad would  ever happen to them. When something did, they were overwhelmed; their faith wavered, and their trust in God was shaken.

Jesus said in John 16 verse 33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
 
We have read the above words many times, haven't we? Yet I know that many of us have either skimmed over the words..."but be of good cheer." or  read them, but didn't allow ourselves to think about them because to us, they simply don't make sense. Be of good cheer when facing a divorce, loss of a job, my child has run away or is on drugs? Be of good cheer when I'm going blind, have cancer, or I just found out my child is gay?
  YES! That is exactly what Jesus wants us to do..how he wants our attitude to be.
Did you by any chance notice how he strung his words-the order in which he placed them?
  1- These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
  2-In the world ye shall have tribulation.
  3-but be of good cheer.
  4-I have overcome the world.
 
"In me ye might have peace."
Knowing us, he knew we'd worry, fret, become anxious, fearful and discouraged
when trials came. He wanted to comfort us, to let us know ahead of time that 
there was no need to become overwhelmed. In simple terms he was saying.
" Remember now. When things get hard for you, when you hit a really rough spot,
you don't have to worry or be afraid. I am with you, will always be with you,
both in good times and the bad. Lean on me when bad times come.
I am the God Of All Comfort. I will be your strength, your courage,
your energy- whatever you need. I am your Peace.

The trick is to keep this in order. If Jesus is our point of focus 
we'll always experience his peace. And because we have his peace,
 when tribulations come, we, instead of falling apart from worry and fear,
 will thank him for loving us so much, and praise him for giving us 
 that peace in the first place.

Did you notice where he placed the words "be of good cheer?"
He placed them right between our tribulations and "I have overcome."
This reminds us that we don't have to worry about how inadequate we are,
how weak, weary, or worn down we may be when those trials come.
We'll lean on Jesus, and through Him we'll overcome too.
We'll come through just fine. Pretty terrific, if you ask me.  

Nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ. Nothing!
Tribulation, however exhausting and discouraging it is cannot
 come between us.
Famine? No matter how weak and weary we become, it cannot come
between us and God.
Anguish?  We've all experienced this, know how rough it can be:
sleep becomes an elusive thing, our appetite fails, we are nauseous;
The anguish burns like fire- is salt upon an open wound.
Yet it  cannot come between us and Christ. Not ever!

When we hold on to the love of God, when we're at the lowest point in
 our life, something miraculous happens, something that strangers,
 neighbors, friends, and sometimes even family members are unable
to comprehend:  which is how we're able to carry on with our life as 
though nothing is wrong.
 
  I've had people ask" Barb, How do you do that ? How can you be 
so calm when you have so much on your plate, when everything is
 such a mess right now?"
   My reply is always "By God's grace."

  God continues to surprise and amaze me at how quickly He  comes
to my rescue, and how he truly does what he promises to do:
make us strong in His strength, empower us to do 
what must be done, fill us with that promised peace of Christ.
And he never fails to bless me by letting me experience the honor of
his presence, the warmth of His love, and the tightness of his embrace.

It is not just knowing Jesus but believing Him that keeps my life
 more stress free than it has ever been. He is trustworthy.
None of us have to be afraid, worried, or discouraged. 
Oh, these things will settle upon us from time-to-time.
 But they won't linger, unless they get to warm a
 welcome.
I don't give them any! I always let Jesus answer the door.

Have a blessed day.
Love you much,

Barb