Being with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

The reality of this world is that no matter who you are, you will have problems. It does not matter how much money you have, who your parents are, or who you know. We will all eventually have problems and face difficulties. It doesn’t matter how good of a person you are or how long you have been a Christian, you will have problems. This world is broken and since the fall of man, the enemy has tempted mankind, and we have made mistakes. But in the face of all our problems, there is great news! Our Creator wants more for us. He sent His Son so that we can overcome the problems of this world and spend eternity with Him in a perfect place.

God cares about everything we do. He wants you to talk to Him and depend on Him. David understood this deeply. He talked with God all the time. In, Psalm 59:16-17, David says “But I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble. I will praise you, my defender. My refuge is God, the God who loves me.”

I love these verses because they show us how we can talk to God. We should praise Him, thank Him, and ask Him to help us through our troubles. Talking to God doesn’t mean that all of our problems will go away, and we don’t always get the result we want. But we can remember Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.” He is all-knowing. No matter the circumstance, take it to Him in prayer. Rely on Him. And no matter the outcome, as a Christ follower we know that ultimately this all ends with an eternity with God in a place with no more pain and no more tears!

I've heard an old saying that you are hard season, going into a hard season, or coming out of a hard season. Where do you find yourself to do? I encourage you to do what James 1:2 says. “Take joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Spend time praying this verse over your troubles and voicing your pain to God.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
  
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
  
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
  
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
  
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
  

The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship

As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.