Often we go through things in our life that challenge our mental and emotional capacity. Throughout the Bible, we witness often, when the Lord appeared to people, He would admonish “Do not be afraid. Stand strong.” After His resurrection, Jesus revealed Himself multiple times to His disciples.
Our God does not tire to meet us, never tires of blessing His children with Himself. As James 4:8 promises, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (NLT).
We must do our part and draw near to Him.
Often, our emotional state affects our reach for God. With every issue that cause consternation or grief, we must still our hearts to seek the Lord. We must give God a better response to our trials than strong emotions of confusion or despair. Don’t despise the heart of God for you by a faithless emotional response. Though we may have been struggling and not seeing results, we must not lose our way by how our heart responds.
We must fight the battles of our mind and heart with the Lord’s help.
David fought every attack of the enemy. Even when his family was kidnapped and his own people reached for stones to kill David, the warrior reached for the Lord and strengthened himself in the Lord.
We must not let our hearts sink when attacked. We must stretch our capacity to receive from heaven. As we keep our mind transformed and renewed by His Word, then we are blessed to keep receiving new revelation from God for our present circumstance.
Some failures are often the Lord’s kindness for our future destiny.
Sometimes, when we lack, it is not that our Father is against us but rather, God is closing the door which would become a massive detour in our life.
Jesus had called His disciples to be fishers of men. Yet Peter, in his discouragement, after denying the Lord three times, returned back to his old life as a fisherman. Simon Peter told his friends, “I am going out to fish.” [John 21:3].
His friends joined him. They went out in the boat and that night, they caught nothing. We must be careful whom we drag down in our pain and confusion.
When our hearts fail, it is crucial that we do not drag our friends to join us in our backsliding. [tweet this] It is always better to go to the Lord with our pain then risk detouring our friends through our confusion.
If Peter had succeeded in fishing that night, he would have reached for his old occupation every time his life proved overwhelming. The Lord set up Peter for success by blocking those fish that night.
Getting nowhere, drawing not one fish, was the Lord’s kindness to Peter. As God blocked Peter from success in fishing, Peter was guided to stay present to his vocation as a disciple of the Lord.
In mercy, the Lord had kept Peter from returning to self-provision, which is oppositional to living a life of supernatural provision by the Almighty.
God must be our Provision.
After this failed fishing exploit, Jesus revealed Himself again to His beloved friends.
Jesus stood on the shore early in the morning, waiting for His disciples until the day dawned.
When he visited them, He had prepared breakfast, bread and fish.
Jesus spoke to their lack first. He asked, “Children, do you have any fish?” Jesus goes right to our need, to our lack. His disciples’ lack would only be completed by the Lord.
Darkness had blinded the disciples from seeing Jesus on the shore. In the light of the sun, suddenly they saw the Christ whom had been there all along.
In difficult times, the darkness of our minds may prevent us from seeing the Christ who stands beside us. We must renew our hearts and minds to see the Lord ever before us. We must change the state of our minds to see clearly.
What provision or detours has the Lord blocked in your life? Are you able to trust God with your disappointments?
When fear comes into our hearts, we cannot see the One who always remains. [tweet this]
The Lord has commanded us all, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9]
God will take care of your every need because He is Our Provision. Whether it be your need of a spouse, financial breakthrough, emotional healing, health or destiny, whatever area you have need, Jesus will supply.
Just as Jesus provided breakthrough for His disciples, so too, He will bring breakthrough and provision for you, as you allow the Way, the Truth and the Light to break through to your mind, as you push away your emotional outcry and choose instead, to simply trust in Him.