God tells us that we will have struggles. He tells us how to handle it. Like Isaiah 40:30 and 31..' 30)Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31) but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ' However, the devil tells us how to handle it too. He offers drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, gossip, pornography and other devices. All ways to escape reality for awhile and not feel the pain and struggles in life. NO ONE wakes up one morning and says I think I will become a drug addict or alcoholic. I think I will spend all my free time and watch pornography and deny my spouse that time. Some people are raised around it. Some people get addicted to drugs from an injury and a prescription drug. Some may be lost from losing a love one and in their time of pain and confusion are introduced to do drugs and/or alcohol by someone that the devil put in your path. It is a very slippery slope. We find ourselves lost before we realize that we have even taken a wrong turn. This world moves so fast. Everything is about money. Bills don't stop because your money is gone. We work and work to make ends meet and slowly slip from our families and LOVE aka GOD! ......As we slip our hearts grow harder and harder and we look for energy, comfort and peace in the wrong places. We gossip about others to make ourselves sound good. Before we know it we are 'praising' the devil. What we don't see is God is still with us. 'Emmanuel'
We are God's children and he is always waiting on us to come home. Luke 15:10 'In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.' This verse is in the parable of the lost coin Luke 15: 8-10 In this parable a woman loses one of her 10 silver coins and she turns on a lamp and sweeps her home until she finds it. She shares the news with her friends because she is so happy it is back in her hands and that is how happy it is in heaven when one sinner repents.
Right now is the Christmas season. The time of the year where bright lights are lit up and songs fill the air and love is in the air. We take the time to show love and to remember a child was born. A child for all of us. A child that grew up as a boy and died a brutal death for each of us! To save us not condemn us to sin and addiction. We all need to find peace and comfort in this. He will supply all our needs! Luke 12: 22-24 22) Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23) Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24) Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them...." This is how he tells us not to worry. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. If we stay focused on him, he WILL deliver us from sin and addictions. Psalm 46:1 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.' If we live each day as we should by beginning and ending our day in prayer God will carry us through our hard times. With God by our side nothing can beat us unless we give into the flesh. Wake up and thank him, tell him you love him, ask him for his protection, peace, guidance whatever your need for the troubles for that day. Prayer is very powerful. Surrendering to God and seeing his blessings develop in our lives and feeling his LOVE is the best 'high' any worldly thing can give you.
The poem footprints in the sand is another tool that I use in my daily walks to help me get through all day to day issues and pain and disappointments. This world is full of evil and without our Godly amour WE WILL DIE!!!
The Footprints Prayer
One night I had a dream...
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life this really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way; But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, There is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why in times when I needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child. I love you, and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
God Bless!