Faith along the way

We have many moments along the way. Some are beautiful, fun, encouraging, touching, precious, happy…good. Some are not so good. Not good at all. Those moments we collect along the way, whether good or bad, shape us, mold us, teach us, and define us in some manner.

I’m thankful for those moments that give me the most precious memories to look upon. Those are the ones I cherish. However, I’m also thankful for those moments along the way that are not so great, those difficult moments that have you crying out to God for help and answers or have you struggling to just get through the day…. yes, even those moments. Every day we have is a precious gift from the Lord, an opportunity to honor Him, to further the kingdom in some way, and make an impact for Him. How we act, how we react, to those moments can have a profound impact on those around us as well.

One of the reasons why am thankful for the difficult moments is because those are the times it seems the Lord has drawn me closer to Him and has grown my faith and strengthened my walk with Him. We see many times in the Bible where God used adversity to accomplish His will, to achieve a purpose in the lives of His people. I think of the apostles and how their life wasn’t easy, how they were persecuted for their faith and beliefs, but how they took every opportunity to proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Savior. Their example to us encourages us in our own walk with the Lord. It helps strengthen our faith and helps us see how their love and devotion to the Lord made an impact on those around them and continues to make an impact in our own lives.

Our goal is to grow in our faith, to become more and more like Jesus, to tell others about the salvation that only comes from His death, burial and resurrection. Our Lord sacrificed His life so we can have eternal life. I’m so thankful, so very thankful, for His sacrifice; so thankful for His love for us that He willingly endured the most horrific suffering we can imagine…. for me…. for you, for anyone who will call upon His name and ask for forgiveness of their sins, and surrender their life to Him, asking Him to be their Lord and Savior. Glory to our great God for providing the way for salvation…the only way, Jesus. Some great verses to check out: John 3:16-17, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10: 9-11. There are many, many more verses regarding salvation and doing a word search in the concordance of the Bible is very helpful.

May we be thankful for each moment along the way, good or bad, and use those moments to help us grow and to encourage someone else along the way. Those difficult moments are not easy and not something we long for or ask for, but the Lord will give us the strength to endure. He is always with us. He will never leave us. (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5-6)

To God be the glory,

Jackie