Encouragement!

Okay, so I was privileged to co-senior lead a team of fantastic Young Life leaders for 3 years when I was in Flagstaff. I loved to encourage them, or try to encourage them with the Word when I could. One day I wrote this to encourage them with because it seemed as though all of us on the team were going through some hard thing. I never shared it with them, but I found it folded up in my Bible last night. I ended up encouraging myself with something that I had written down from a few years ago. Now, I don't claim to be a pastor or anything, but I felt led to post it on here; that maybe someone else would also be encouraged. "For the word of God is living and active" -Hebrews 4:12a
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When you go through hard times, it's easy to be focused on them and not much else. It's easy to be focused on yourself. BUT if you let yourself, it's also easy to cling to the Lord. And that goes for everything; family trouble, school trouble, job trouble, relationship trouble, trouble being content, or what have you.

In Genesis 15, the Lord comes to Abraham. Abraham is frustrated with his childless troubles that has left him with no heir. So the Lord says to Abraham,
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. "
2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

Abraham talks boldly to God about his trouble and about the things that he strongly desires. But as seen in previous chapters (12), Abram seeks the Lord and the calling He had for him. Abram was faithful to God, and when the Lord said "Go," he went.

Sometimes, just us asking means receiving because we have already been faithful, and because of our faithfulness, our will has been aligned with the will of the Father. ("If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."- John 15:7)

Other times, I think that the Lord waits to answer our prayers to prove our faithfulness. We are called to be faithful in all things, including prayer. And even in that time of petition spent with the Lord, maybe our heart and our desires will be changed to match that of our Lord. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."-Psalm 37:4 For example, there are many accounts in the New Testament of when Jesus heals people and forgave them their sin, but because of their faith. ("Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment." -Matthew 9:22) (also see Matt 8:2-3, v.5-13, 9:28-29 and many more)

In Matthew 6:27 Jesus says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" So in our times of trouble and worry, we are told to do as Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." I believe that if we hold fast to the command of v.33, we can see hope come out of our trouble because: 7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

We so often get focused on self-problems because of our untrusting nature, that we forget the greatest commandment -Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" -Matthew 22:37

Maybe it's not something fathomable to fix, but maybe our hearts are the things that need love and support that only the Father can give. If anything, the closeness of the Lord will comfort us in our trouble and allow us to deal with it better than we could on our own. "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. " He is our great comforter and the Lover of our souls.

Therefore, let us be encouraged, and let us seek the Lord.