* When we say: "I don't understand" God says: "TRUST ME"

*This month's "Be A Better You" Devotional is here! I pray it encourages you!😊

We will endure difficult seasons in this life. At some point, we will endure times that will be painful, hurtful, and hard to bear. Have you ever been through something difficult or heartbreaking and thought, "I don't understand why this is happening?" 

I have felt that way many times before, and even currently as I struggle through my own season of hardship.

God spoke something to me though:

 He said,

"TRUST ME"

 It is so difficult to trust God when we do not see a way through a problem and we can't see what the future holds. Sometimes it can feel like getting in your car, in the middle of nowhere, and not knowing where you are going. It can be very overwhelming. The scariest part is not knowing.

That's when we start to worry about it.

Then, the fear comes.

Then, we start doubting.

Fear weakens our faith in what we know God can do and who he is.

 When we are in a state of fear, worry takes over, which is why we doubt that God can move in the struggle. This prevents us from completely trusting Him.

It's hard to trust Him sometimes. I know.

But if we keep our focus on Him and stay close to Him, we get to know Him more and we find that we can trust Him. When we realize that we can trust Him, we will experience peace through it.

The devil wants to change our focus and try to convince us to turn to other things for comfort during these times of uncertainty. He wants to use the struggle to get into our heads with thoughts of worry and he wants to distract us from reading our Bibles. We must not let that happen. God's word is truth. God's word is our sword.

God's word brings peace that surpasses all understanding. We must focus on Jesus and make time to get into the word***

God's word says:

Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will know after this."

John ch. 13 verse 7

NKJV

God spoke this to me and showed me that there is a purpose in the pain we endure. Even though we may not understand it during that season, we must realize that God has a plan and a purpose.

Don't let the enemy convince you otherwise. He will try to tempt you to believe his lies. When he tries to do this, remember:

What the enemy meant for evil, God means for the good. (See Genesis ch. 50, verse 20)

Keep your focus on Jesus, and during those moments of weakness, pour your heart out to God. Tell Him how you feel and ask Him to give you strength and to help you trust Him. Even when it's hard and you don't feel like you can, just keep that communication line open with Him and stay in fellowship with Him❤️😊 He loves us and He has a plan and purpose for us.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, My ways," saith the Lord.

"For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways"

Isaiah 55:8-9

KJV

Something I have realized is that when I am completely honest with God about what I am feeling, and I lay it all out on the table before Him...........what I am doing is laying it at the foot of the cross. I am giving it to Him, and letting Him take it from me so that I don't have to carry it.

When we do that, He then can give us peace in return. He can help us start to see things in a different light, HIS LIGHT. He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIGHT.

When I find something to be thankful for even through the hardships, I find that God gives me strength through that. That's why it's important to praise Him through it as well. Remember there is always something to be thankful for. I try to think of it like this:

 It could always be worse, so I thank God that it's not.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you," saith the Lord, "Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Jeremiah ch. 29, verse 11

KJV

Have hope in Him. Keep your faith in Him❤️

Stay strong and remember:

Trust Him!! He loves us!!

 Love and blessings,

*Melissa❤️😊