December 13 “Making Room To Trust And Obey God In Challenging Circumstances”
Matthew 1:19
Rebecca Furgason
Devotional Reading
Like Zacharias, Joseph needed fresh revelation from God to move forward in his life with Mary. She was pregnant. Joseph was an honorable man and didn’t want to cause Mary any hardship. Mary’s life would be changed forever. Joseph could bring her ruin or choose to be her partner and protect her.
There is a lie that permeates the body of Christ. Well-meaning people use the phrase “God will never give you more that you can handle.” It is not truth. Instead, God wants to help us through things that are too hard for us. God promises a way of escape in difficulty (1 Corinthians 10:12-13), and we are told, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). 1 Pet.1:6-7 speaks of difficulty in trials, and being tested by fire.
Joseph, for a moment, looked for a way of escape until he was visited by an angel. God was Joseph’s way of escape. Have you ever decided you didn’t want to face something and just ignore it or walk the other direction? I have. I had come to a season in my life in which I decided I was now done with “hardship”. I just wasn’t going to face or respond to anything that smelled or looked like hardship. I was “counting it all joy” as I ran in the opposite direction. But my “angel” sounded a lot like Gary Wiens.
When Gary Wiens shared his reading on the crucifixion, I was struck by how John never left Jesus. He faced enormous ridicule and watched his Savior get beaten and bloodied. He faced the hardship. The disciples faced extreme disappointment and loss, and then went on to proclaim the gospel; they had hardship throughout the rest of their lives and most died horrible deaths.
The truth is that I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. Meditate on that for a moment. Jesus living in us, the One we celebrate this season, came and died for you and me. He strengthens you and me every moment we walk with Him. Even those moments when I wander, HE never forgets to love me, walk with me and give me strength. Allow Holy Spirit to work that truth into every fiber of your being.
I have repented from not being willing to grow and change with the hardships that come into my life. Life is not always easy; however, it is much easier being open to what comes along, trusting Jesus to teach me in the midst of the hardship, and allow His perfect plan to be lived out in my life (Jer. 29:11).
Making Room
1. Would you be willing to trust Jesus in the challenging circumstances of your life?
2. Consider how Jesus wants to live His life in you through various challening circumstances in your life.