REJOICE

" THOUGH THE OLIVE CROP FAILS AND THE FEILDS PRODUCE NO FOOD , THOUGH THERE ARE NO SHEEP IN THE PEN AND NO CATTLE IN THE STALLS, I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD. I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR.

HABAKKUK 3:17,18

All of us face unexpected challenges as we go through our lives. Things don't always turn out the way we expected them to. Darknessfalls, clouds gather, and shadows come, but our faith and confidence in God need never be shaken. And when we face difficult times and trials, he will be with us to make a way where there seems to be no way.

Have you ever felt that God was a million miles away and wasn't even listening to the cry of your heart? Have you ever poured out your heart to God , desperate for an answer but the answer didn't come? I think all of us have experianced this at some point in our lives. Does it mean that God has forgotten us? Does his silence mean that he doesn't care? nope, the bible tells us he will never leave or forsake us (hebrews13:5) and that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think ( Ephesians 3:20) ! Our solutions to our problems are limited to what we can ask or think. God's solutions are above all that we could ever ask or think, Isaiah (55:8-9)tells us that his thoughts and his ways are far above ours.

So what do we do when we are going through a difficult time yet? Habakkuk 3:18 says " yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be happy in the God of my salvation." We are suppose to exsult, to find great joy in the Lord and rejoice in the God of our salvation! Why? Because everything is perfect in our lives? Not necessarily . I heard someone say once that we don't have to deny the reality of our situation, weather it's physical, finantual, spiritual or emotional; we just don't have to accept it as the finality. In other words we need to see our situations throught the eyes of faith. Remember God has the final word. Circomstances may be telling you that you are finished and you have run out of options. But God has promised in his word that he will make a roadway in the wilderness and a river in the desert.( Isaiah 43:19) When we exsaust our own resources, God is about to show us that he is not limited to our ideas and solutions.

Luke 1:37 tells us that " nothing is impossible with God," So if your going through a difficult situation right now, don't allow the enemy to come in to your life and steal your song. Make a choice to bless the Lord. Make a choice to exsult him, even in the midst of a difficult circomstances, because God is working in ways you cannot see! So lets lift our voices and worship him, lets lift our voices and sing to him, and praise him with all our hearts because he is an awesome God and worthy to be praised. and remember, sometimes the most intense praise comes in the midst of the most intense pain.

QUESTION:

What difficult situations has God brought you through?and who and what did he use to do it? How were you able to bless the Lord even in the midst of your pain?