“Lord, help my thoughts get beyond the struggles of life; and focus on You.”
Spoiler alert. The next few sentences may make you feel unsafe. Please stop reading if you’re having a bad day; but quite frankly, you’d only prove the point.
Jesus said, watch it, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” Ouch. Sounds like bubble wrap popping!
He wasn’t done. He went on to say, “Rejoice and be glad” in the midst of the character attacks because you follow Him. He said do this because your reward is in heaven. (Read Matthew 5:11-12.)
Oh no! I’m actually to have the kind of faith that finds joy in the midst of suffering, even unjust suffering? Yup, and it involves taking a risk, which has become a dirty word in the Christian, let alone the secular world.
Risk means going to the store to pick up items for those who need them, hoping not to get hit by another driver, which happened to me. Risk means going to work as a pastor hoping to get paid, only to lose your house because you didn’t, which also happened to me.
Scripture doesn’t promise a risk-free safe zone type of existence. In fact, Hebrews 11:6 states that if we choose to please God we must take the risk that He actually rewards those who earnestly seek Him, which can cause unjust suffering.
Our walks with Jesus are not wrapped in plastic bubbles filled with air. Jesus said His followers would listen to and follow Him. There is simply no way of doing that without getting out of the “safe offensive-free zones.”
In the midst of life’s struggles, let’s do what a good friend of mine told to her grandchildren, “Go dig up some joy!”
People will want the Jesus we love and serve when despite the struggles, despite what others say or do to us, we have a smile on our faces put there by faith.
Be a risk taker. Go find some joy today. You will when you look to Jesus – the author and perfecter of risk takers like you.

“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” Joni Erickson Tada
Condoleezza Rice said, “The sooner you learn that life is not fair, the better off you’ll be, because you’ll spend less time railing against life’s unfairness and feeling aggrieved and entitled, and more time figuring out how to maximize your assets, and your talents and how to deal with things that you’re not very good at.”
Some believers are facing a new normal while others have been living it their entire lives…even here in America.
Our current situation begs the question, “Is our God big enough to make all things, including CoVid19, turn out for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28)?”
He does not say that everything we face in life will be good. Sometimes, life on this planet is simply not fair!
What the Spirit is saying, however, is that we have a God who is outside time and space, and who can turn life’s unfairness – thrown at us by seen and unseen forces – into opportunities for faith steps that will change our lives today with eternal dividends.
The new normal, fair or not, will need a faith that is seen not simply stated.
In case you doubt, view a painting made by Joni Erickson Tada using only her teeth!

“Our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things. Don’t run out ahead of Him.” Corrie Ten Boom
Corrie tells the story about a time when she and her father were traveling by train. Seated next to him, she asked him what sex sin was. He said nothing.
As they prepared to exit, he asked Corrie to carry his suitcase. She tried as best she could, but it was far too heavy.
He told her that he would be a “pretty poor father to ask his little girl to carry such a load. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it. For now, you must trust me to carry it for you.”
Our Father is on the throne; and, we’re seated in Jesus’ lap at His right hand (Heb. 12:2; Eph. 2:6). We are there because we’re His children through faith in Jesus.
Our Father is completely able to handle the heavy knowledge that we can’t bear at the moment, like, when Covid19 restrictions will be lifted and life will return to “normal”.
Don’t focus on what you don’t know. It’s too heavy for you and will crush your peace of mind.
Instead, focus on what your Father is asking you to carry right now, and forget the rest. He knows tomorrow. You don’t. Let Him carry it.
Stay focus on and act upon the truths the Spirit gives you today from Jesus. And His peace will reign in your heart.

“Hope overcomes fear of the unknown!”
The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that we need to walk with other Jesus believers to deepen our love for Jesus.
The Spirit will use others, at times, to be Jesus’ hands, voice and sometimes His foot to draw us closer to Him.
Yet, we don’t want to walk across that foggy bridge to gather with others out of fear of the unknown. “What if…you fill in the blank.” This fear of the “what ifs” holds us back from growing our faith, a faith that sustains in foggy times.
We must learn from our brothers and sisters in persecuted countries. They know their need of the human factor to keep strong in foggy times at best and stormy times at worst.
A large percentage of Western Christians believe once a week meetings watching the back of other’s heads while listening to a talking head will be enough. They believe that live-streamed messages are good enough or watching “church” on TV will cut it.
They will not. When life takes away your spouse, who is there to hug you? When sickness keeps you down, who is there to bring food to your home? When you start to feel overwhelmed or weak in the knees, who is there to prop you up until you can walk on your own?
Hope is the light that will cut through that fog. Hope that God’s Word is true when it says walking with others will encourage, strengthen and sustain your faith in foggy times.
Who walks across that bridge to gather with you to encourage and strengthen your faith in Jesus? Now is the time, my friends, to find like-minded believers, those willing to walk by faith, not fear, to gather with you to keep you moving forward in your love for Jesus.

“Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Jesus
We currently are experiencing events unprecedented in history. Entire countries around the globe are locked down at home at the same time. Biblical prophecy in relation to Israel is set to come true literally at any moment.
It’s time to remember a clear warning Jesus gave His disciples before His death and resurrection, which we recently celebrated.
In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells the story of 10 virgins with lamps, much like the one pictured. Five were ready for the bridegroom to return at any hour and five were not. How do we know? Only five had a lamp with a wick and oil while the other five only had a lamp with a wick.
The five with oil, picture those who put their faith in Jesus and are indwelt by the Spirit (i.e. oil), which shows they are children of God (Rom. 8:9-11). Whereas the other five, merely hung out with them, but were not known by Jesus or children of God.
Jesus tells the church at Laodicea to let Him in the building (Rev. 3:14-22)! These people were going to a church building for a Christian service, but were not known by Jesus.
It’s a stark reminder of what Jesus, the bridegroom, said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.”
Anyone can say they are a Christian or attend a Christian church service. Only those who love Jesus through listening to and following Him will be ready at a moment’s notice to go home with Him.
Whose voice are you listening to today? Those who are known by Jesus, under the Spirit’s power, will listen to and follow Him every day, everywhere.
Become a believer in Jesus today through surrendering to what He did for you (died and rose again), not what you think you can do for Him. Then express your love for Him through daily choosing to follow Him.
Do that, and you’ll be ready regardless of the times in which you live.