Oh JOY! Thank You for filling us with hope! Thank You for always surrounding us with Your unconditional love!

Psalm 107 fills me with joy knowing that our Father loves us unconditionally and wants us to come to Him when we’re sad, when we’re distressed, when we’re at the end of our rope, and He will be faithful to us—to restore us, to heal us.

You may be coming to Him in anger or in pure desperation; it doesn’t matter. He never promised a life full of roses. We will have challenges, we will have stress and we will be distressed as a result of our own choices, choices of others or just life in general. Regardless of your mood or what brought you here, His desire is that you to turn to Him in everything. When you do He promises to be there to listen, to comfort, and to carry you if necessary. In return it’s important to:

1) Let go and let God. In other words trust Him to do what He says He will do. If you’ve prayed and asked for help but you’re still trying to fix the situation or manipulate things so they work the way you want, you haven’t let go.
2) Be open and receptive, always knowing that your idea of the help you need may be very different from His.
3) Be thankful throughout . . . yes, even in the darkest hour, be thankful to Him realizing that it’s in times like this that He’s growing you in both your character and in your spiritual life.
4) Share your story. Share your challenges and your successes with others. You just lived a story that someone needs to hear. People can relate to your hard times. By sharing your personal challenges and how your Father supported you through them, the effect you can have on others is potentially life-changing.

I’ve read before that the evidence of God’s work is greatest when things appear the bleakest. I believe this is true not only because it’s illustrated throughout the Bible but because I’ve experienced it in my own life. So I say to you, when it’s dark and bleak and there seems to be no way out, look up, pray, ask for your Father’s help, be receptive to His will and trust Him. Continue to keep looking up holding on to hope, faith and trust with all you have, believing that something great is about to happen and you don’t want to miss it!

Oh JOY! Thank You for filling us with hope! Thank You for always surrounding us with Your unconditional love!