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POINT TO PONDER:God is real, no matter how I feel.
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| REFLECT: How did today's reading impact you? |
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Today's reading is so key for us to understand God's purposes. It is easy to worship God when things are going great in your
life -- when He has provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But life is not always fun... it is often
very difficult. The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him
when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant. In your friendship with God, you wont always
feel close to Him, as expressed by these two verses:
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"Lord, why are You standing aloof and far away? Why do You hide when I
need You most?." (Psalms 10:1 - The Living Bible)
"For God has said, 'I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.'"
(Hebrews 13:5 - Today's English Version)
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God's omnipresence (That God is always present), and the manifestation of His presence(Why don't I feel like He is with me?)
are two different things. One is a fact, the other is a feeling. Yes, God wants you to sense His presence, but He's more
concerned that we trust Him than that we feel Him.
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How do I praise God when I don't feel His presence and I don't understand why I'm going through this dark valley?
- Tell God exactly how I feel.
- Focus on who God is -- His unchanging nature.
- Trust God to keep His promises.
- Remember what God has already done for me.
If I can add another practical suggestion, this is an excellent time to journal your thoughts. I have marveled at how God works, even
when I don't see or feel Him. As I look back over the past, I'm reminded that He is not done writing the final chapter in our lives.
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PRAYER:
"Gracious Father, Please help me to trust You along this journey. Remind me of Your promises, and help me to seek You, not a feeling.
Thank You for Your promise that You will never leave me nor abandon me. Thank You for taking my place on the cross for my sins. Amen"
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FOR MY CONSIDERATION:
What spiritual milestones can I look back upon when I need to be reminded of His work in my life? Where has He led me thus far?
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This week's Memory verse:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength." Mark 12:30 (NIV) |
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