“The Lord Himself will go before you and will be with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

There is no doubt that our faith will be tested and we would go through trials yet we can overcome all of them regardless of our feelings for His truth is unshakable and certain. No matter how bleak or discouraging our circumstances may appear, there are always grounds for hope, because we are not alone. God is with us. And He is not merely present, but watchful and active. God is present in our lives, not merely as a passive observer, but as the active, sovereign ruler of the universe and the loving Lord of our lives.

Nevertheless, we have to admit that there are times when God’s face is hidden from view. We strain our eyes looking for the signs of His presence, but can see nothing but darkness. As far as we can tell, as far as we can discern with our mind and our senses, God is completely absent. We pray, we read the Bible, we follow Christ as best we know how, and yet – our circumstances don’t improve. They may even get worse. How are we supposed to continue trusting in God’s love and goodness and wisdom, when we can find no tangible grounds for that trust? How can we continue to willingly place our lives in His hands, when the result is disappointment, and pain and sorrow?

Our hope must be anchored in the promises of God, the promises concerning His goodness, wisdom, love and power. We must hold fast to these, even as the storms of life are raging if we’re to keep our grip on hope and keep the ship of our life on course.

We must believe regardless of our circumstances that God is working out all things in our life for good and we do that by continually reminding ourselves of the promises of God like “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ’plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11.

Garment of Praise

Monthly Insights for Spiritual Growth, Encouragement and Personal Victory.

Oluyemisi Onanuga

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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