Recently while scrolling through social media, I saw an article by Business Tech informing the public that the petrol price is going up once again.
Now, this of course led to a half-an-hour discussion of how terrible things are getting in the country and how high the cost of living is.
However, once I meditated on this very real situation the Holy Spirit started changing my perception. The cost of living is increasing…it’s a reality. The ability to afford certain things has diminished profoundly…this too is real. But, so is the reality of Who our God is and what He is capable of doing in our lives.
Psalm 146:5-7 reminds us: “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever. who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.”(NKJV).
I had to share this whole section as it reminds us of who our heavenly Father really is. That He is the one who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. That if we make Him our help we are blessed.
I believe that one of the enemy’s greatest weapons against us is to discourage us. We are discouraged by what we can see around us, and how ineffective our prayers seem when we are hoping for change and just don’t seem to see any changes.
This of course leads to us thinking we have to salvage these situations in our own strength, or that the people around us (maybe the government etc. on a societal level) need to step up and do more.
And when things still stay the same, or get worse, we could end up becoming discouraged. We could think that God is aloof to our prayers or that the problem lies with us.
I am not advocating that we should not use good commonsense and speak the truth in love to mitigate and manage certain issues in life. Very often common sense is needed!
However, what I am encouraging you with today is that we shouldn’t live as if our own strength, our own resources, and what we can see is the last line of defense. Because, it isn’t. It is in our Father’s hands always.
As Psalm 146:10 states, “The Lord shall reignforever-“. (NKJV).
This is still a hard reality, because we are still in the tough circumstances. We are still struggling to make ends meet. We are still struggling with our health, with tough relationships etc. This list can carry on infinitely.
However, if we but put on our eyes of faith, we can look past the current circumstances that we find ourselves in and see the glorious hope that is ours in Jesus.
Things in the world not looking good? That is fine. Jesus said He will be making a new heaven and a new earth (Is.66:22 & Rev.21:1). Things are going to get better!
Even in our own personal lives, look at what Paul says under the inspiration of Holy-Spirit in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”(NKJV).
This means that the pain we are going through right now is real. However, it cannot compare to the glory of what Jesus will do in us and through us.
Beloved, let us put on our eyes of faith to see more than what is in the natural, which is real. But, to look beyond that to the spiritual side of things. Look at who our Father in heaven is and what He can do.
Let us become people who embrace the reality of the situations of life with both hands – unlike me becoming negative at the article on the fuel hike. Let us embrace the challenges. And, by faith, embrace the realities of what our Father in Heaven can do by His mighty power.
Remember, it is a process for us to get to that place (I haven’t arrived yet!). It’s a process to get to that place and there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ (Rom.8:1).
But start today. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see more than just the natural world’s issues, but to see beyond to what your Father can do. Search His word to see how He brings about immeasurably more than anyone could ask or think.
See things through His eyes and be encouraged.
Because as He said in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”(NKJV)
Jesus loves you family and so do I.
Andrew😊