endurance

Standing Firm Together

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1 Peter 5:12-14 – God does not intend us to navigate the challenging paths of this life alone. If we are to endure, we must commit to standing firm but doing so together.

Surprised by Suffering

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1 Peter 4:12-19 – While the tendency is to respond to suffering with complaints, Scripture encourages us to rejoice instead. Suffering is unavoidable, but our response is supposed to be unusually hopeful.

I Want to Hold Your Hand

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We serve a God who does not leave us on our own but walks beside us through all the challenges of life. No matter what we face, we can endure because we do not struggle alone.

Take Your Burdens to Jesus

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We act as if we can handle our problems independently, but we are only fooling ourselves. Don’t pridefully act like you have no burdens — take them to Jesus.

Jesus Isn’t Trying to Snuff You Out

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One of the most dangerous, incorrect notions about God is that He is so frustrated with us that He doesn’t want to help any longer. If you are barely hanging on, Jesus isn’t trying to snuff you out.

Suffering Is Short-Lived

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1 Peter 1:6-9 – No matter how challenging our circumstances may become, all of the suffering in this world is temporary. Once we understand its limit, we can better see God’s refining process.

When Life’s Not Fair

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Ecclesiastes 8:1-17 – When we see the ungodly flourish and the godly struggle, we might question God’s standard of fairness. Part of trusting God is acknowledging that we may not understand why certain things happen.

Recovering After Failure

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It may not sound encouraging to anticipate failure as we follow Jesus, but none of us will always get it right. We should not wonder if we will fail, but we should consider how Jesus desires us to respond when the unavoidable happens.

Experiencing Abundant Peace

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Psalm 119:161-176 – We cannot avoid trouble in this life, but we can experience abundant peace through every trial. Keep a diligent desire to follow God’s instructions through hard times so you can endure.

Some Days Are Just Hard

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No matter how positive you try to be, some days are just more difficult than others. The work of Jesus should put our challenges in a healthy and needed perspective.

Interpreting God-Given Afflictions

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Psalm 119:65-80 – You can only say that God does all things well if you can accept that He does rightfully bring discipline into our lives. God can even use afflictions for our instruction. 

Strengthening Weary Souls

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Psalm 119:17-32 – We live in an increasingly strange world with combative critics and challenging circumstances. God has given us the Bible as an uplifting gift to strengthen our souls when we’re weary.

The LORD Is My Healer

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Exodus 15:22-27 – When the Israelites discovered bitter water at the beginning of their trek through the wilderness, God instructed Moses on how to make it sweet. God reminded them that He is their Healer, and we must remember that no situation is behind His remedying. 

When Things Get Worse Before They Get Better

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Exodus 5:1-6:1 – Moses’ initial efforts only increased Pharaoh’s narcissistic rage and the Israelites’ horrific conditions. We must hold on to God’s promises when things get worse before they get better.

Down But Not Out

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The people of God know what it is like to be down but not out. No matter the opposition we encounter, our God continues to hold us steadfast.