Ready For A Ride?

Spending time with your friends is a certain treat. Whether you are having a cup of coffee and talking, sitting by the pool drinking a cup of lemonade, or reading the same book and having a detailed conversation about the contents. But what happens when the good times aren't so good? How do you handle things when your friend gets upset with you and speaks negative things about you to others?  How do you handle things when the times just get difficult and hurtful, but they won't let you in? 

I recently went through a very difficult time in my life that left me feeling insecure about a friendship of mine. However, in the midst of my time with the Lord, He gave me a vision and words to live by as I went through my struggles. 

I imagined a huge yellow raft with thick and wide handles on the sides and I was sitting in this tube. The water under me and before me was raging wild. There was no rope coming from the rocks or trees on either side of me, just the water and raft. The Lord spoke to me and said, "You will go through tough times, but the waters you are in will not over take you, nor will you drown in them."  Sure enough the troubles came with a friend of mine and as I went through tears and hurt, my mind immediately went to the visual and words God spoke to me. The ride was for a short time and I did not drown. In fact, the next day I was blessed by my friend I had troubles with and God brought a few fresh friends in my path that encouraged me through prayer also.

~Be encouraged my friend, though we struggle with people or situations on our journey, God is our provider and protector. He is the One we should hold onto as we go through our struggles.  The sad truth is that we do not grab a hold of Him and we grab onto others and get deeper into our troubles.

  

Isaiah 43:2a

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

What I Wasn't Told

I am mad at God. I was down right angry with Him. How could he allow such a thing to happen? I mean, He is the Creator of the Universe and He is supposed to be the God of goodness. How could He do such a thing? I almost hate Him.
Does this sound like a statement you have proclaimed in your lifetime? I can tell you I have heard people say this and I have made proclamations similar to them.  I have heard the arguments about losing your faith. Some people say you can and others say you cannot. I can say that the human race are the ones that walk away; not God.
I want you to know that you can think, say and do things against God, but He is still going to love you. You can do things against God, but He is still waiting for you with open arms. You can put Him in your own box and dress Him up anyway you want, but He is still a big, big God. I wasn't told that God loved me with an extravagant love and I can hurt Him, but He will never turn away from me. I wasn't told that God is a soft hearted God with a strong wrath. I thought He was a constant punisher, but He's not.
The great news is that God does great things for sinners, like you and me, who come to Him in repentance and faith. We return to Him with our mess, brokenness, sin-stained lives, and He gives us, in Christ, forgiveness with a brand new start. The Holy Spirit is to convict us about sin, righteousness and judgement.
When you are tired of holding onto the world and all the emptiness it has to offer, you will find rest and restoration. Your life will make a change for the better.

Look, some people think that God is out to hurt and harm them. Some people think that God is a God of destruction and pain. I am here to tell you that He is NOT. He walks with you in your struggles of sin and pain. He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you; if you would just throw your hands up and give in.

~Be encouraged, God knows your hurtful statements and disbelief.  He loves you no matter what you do or don't do. You can't stop Him.