Perseverance in Times of Trials
Devotionals
One of the hardest things we as children of God have to do is let go and let God.  There
is nothing too big for our God.  Yet we constantly try and depend on our own strength,
our own reasoning to pull us out of some experience so much greater than we are.

Why can’t we trust God?  Why can’t we give him the control over our lives?  He already
knows where we are headed, already sees the end result.  But we stand stubbornly, fists
clinched by our sides, determined not to lose the battle.  And the truth is we’ll never
succeed.  Never pull ourselves out of the hole that just seems to keep getting deeper
and deeper.  We can’t now, and won’t be able to tomorrow or the next day or the next.  

But God can.

Jesus walked this earth in human form to experience firsthand the pain and suffering of
man. He has already been there. There is nothing we can come up against that is not
familiar to our God. He loved us enough to make certain of this. And when he left this
earth, he left behind the Spirit of Truth so that we would never be alone in any decision,
in any struggle.

Every struggle we face is an opportunity for us to seek God’s divine guidance. To
understand things that are not black and white. Don’t ask the question, “Why me?”  But,
“Lord, what do you want me to learn from this?”  

Our God has an agenda for our lives, and sadly so does the devil.  The choices we
make during the hard times will reveal the truth about where our loyalty lies.  Can we
distinguish between good and evil?  Are we asking what God’s choice would be in the
situation or trying to make decisions based on our own needs, our own desires?

We need to be full of the Spirit and not ourselves.  We need to surrender completely,
even that tiny piece that wants so desperately to hang on.  We have to want to know
what God is trying to tell us.  What he is willing to show us.  This is why we need to
persevere in times of trials.

These struggles often are meant to bring us ever closer to our loving Father.  To bring
us to that point where only being brought to our knees will ease the pain, produce the
peace and comfort we are searching for.  If we were never to experience such times of
defeat, how would we ever be able to appreciate or value God’s unfailing love? If we
were able to find answers, to find all the help we need right here on earth, why would we
ever need God?  Why would we ever turn to him at all?

Our all knowing God allows these struggles so that we don’t accept something less than
what he has ordained for us.  For his plans for our lives are always greater, always more
than we could possibly imagine.  And the pain and suffering will never be for nothing.  
There is always something to learn, something to share with others who are suffering as
well.  

In the good times as well as the bad, we can all be certain of one thing: We are chosen
and precious to God.  The maker of heaven and earth has selected us over all of his
creations.  Each and every one of us is wanted; important to God.  

So let go of the stubbornness, the selfishness that keeps you from the blessings God
wants to pour over you.  Let him heal your every hurt, bring you close, and help you find
peace in his embrace.

May 2006
M.D. Ohnoutka

** Published in the July 3 issue of "Reflections Online Christian Magazine"
Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they
cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. NIV
The joy of the Lord is not the same as the joy of this world. We all long to find it. But some seek it in
all the wrong places and at the end of their journey find themselves emptier than when they first
began.

This is because God has “set eternity in the hearts of men.” He created us in His image, with His
spiritual desires, His longing for eternal value and nothing but His eternal goodness will ever be
able to satisfy us.  The restlessness inside us yearns for a perfect world.  A world that only God
can offer us.  And no matter how hard we try, we’ll never be satisfied with any of our earthly
pleasures or pursuits.

How many times do we find ourselves surrounded by so much stuff that it completely overwhelms
us? These cravings for an abundance of something are really longings for fulfillment from God.  
We need to stop, look and listen to what our Heavenly Father wants for us, get rid of all the bits and
pieces we use to try to satisfy that empty void within us.

For the things of this world are only a hint of what we can expect to find in Heaven. A promise of
what is to come. We will never be able to see the future, to guide our own destines without the one
who comprehends everything from beginning to end. So we must let go, put our complete trust in
Him, and do His will above all other things.

We are preparing for eternity.  Each and every one of us is special and destined for something
greater than we could ever imagine for ourselves. Be radiant knowing that your Heavenly Father
sits above, watching and waiting for you. Longing for the day that you will turn over your life
completely to Him so that He in turn can bless you with joy so immense that it will cause your heart
to swell and throb in response.

Let go now, trust Him and let your heart pound with the knowledge of who and what awaits you in
Heaven.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us enough to share your creations with us. Let us remember
each and every time we see a beautiful sunrise or stunning sunset that you painted them there
before us to fill our hearts with joy. To show us your love. Help us put our trust in you, to look
beyond what we can see, and discover all you have promised us. In Jesus precious name we
pray. Amen

Closing Thought
When was the last time that your heart swelled and throbbed with joy? When was the last time you
walked outside and the beauty that enveloped you stole your breath away. Do you take time out of
your busy schedule to stop and smell the roses, to marvel in all the beauty that is the Lord?

June 2006
M.D. Ohnoutka


** Published in the July 17 issue of "Reflections Online Christian Magazine"
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

How many of us in today’s world can honestly say we aren’t worried about something? Just having one
precious child is enough to fill you with worries that will last a lifetime. Not to mention jobs, marriage,
financial security, and so many others too lengthy to mention. But in God’s Word, He tells us not to be
anxious about anything. We are to rejoice and let our gentleness be evident to all. How is this possible?


We must learn to turn our worries over to the One Who is bigger than anything that makes us anxious.
Whenever this uneasy feeling or thick blanket of despair slips over us, we are to stop and pray. Let
God’s peace guard us against it. Trust Him to deliver us through and out of the struggle.

If we truly want to make our worries fewer, we need to pray more abundantly. Every worry needs to be
transformed into a prayer. And these prayers are not just prayers of petitions. They are prayers that
leave us overflowing with the peace of the Lord. Peace that fills every empty place within us with the
Holy Spirit.

I Thessalonians 5:17 says to pray continually. This doesn’t mean we are to be on our knees 24/7, but
that we have a prayerful attitude at all times. Building this attitude depends upon us acknowledging our
need for our Heavenly Father. We have to recognize His presence within us, decide to follow and obey
Him with every ounce of strength we posses. Realize that to live a Christian life means living through
God’s power and not our own.

Start every day off with prayer and you’ll see a difference in the way you view every situation that comes
your way. You’ll still have hectic times, but you’ll view them differently, react differently. You’ll find
yourself actually enjoying moments that usually overwhelm you, because feelings are wonderful when
led by the Holy Spirit. They are powerful devices created within us so that we treasure everything life
has to offer on our journey to eternity.

I would like to share three easy steps for daily prayer that have helped me. The first step involves
coming clean, confessing your sins to God. A pouring out of all the impurities, of everything that makes
you feel unworthy. Get rid of it all. Because sin is not worth what it is taking away from you or who it is
keeping you from.

This is a time to talk with God as a friend, to tell Him what is troubling you, who has hurt you, what
actions are keeping you from Him. Seek His guidance, and then accept His forgiveness. This is the
second step: Dare to live as a forgiven child of God. Don’t let your guilt become another barrier
between you and your Heavenly Father.

Once you are free of your burdens, the third step is asking God to fill every empty place within you with
the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Ask Him to satisfy that longing within you to be full.

Each of us has this built-in desire to be full. God created it. But we fail to recognize the Source needed
to fill it. Every craving for an abundance of something is a longing for fulfillment from God. Even though
we try to put our hope in the things that surround us in this world, God is the only One Who can fill that
emptiness. The only One Who can help us reach the freedom of His peace.

God’s peace is different. Nothing this world can offer us even comes close. It has nothing to do with
positive thinking or the absence of difficulties in our lives. God’s peace comes from knowing that He is
in control. That our place in His Kingdom is secure, our destiny already set. We as believers in Jesus
Christ have victory over sin. We have no reason to fear the present or future. Jesus offers us comfort in
the turmoil of conflict. All we have to do is accept it from Him.

There is nothing on this earth that will last forever. This is not our place of eternal rest. This is not the
end. Our beginning is in our future. So stop and pray. Praise God for all His glory. Make your requests
known to Him. Tell Him what you are afraid of. And then trust Him to be your refuge. He can and will
satisfy your troubled hearts. Fill you with His peace.

The power of prayer is beyond our understanding. But God knows exactly what we need. He created us
in His image. So in the difficult times, those moments when you are unsure of the words to pray, trust
that the Holy Spirit will step in for you. Make the desires of your heart known.

For God never meant for us to be afraid of Him. He never meant for us to think Him unapproachable.
And with the Holy Spirit, who lives within us all, we can trust that we are never alone. So confess your
sins to God. Walk and live in the Holy Spirit. Have quiet time making your requests known to the Lord
and then listen for His guidance. And trust that He will always do what is best. For He sees what we
cannot. And He alone knows the end result.

Heavenly Father, help us to surrender our fears to You. Help us trust You enough to turn to You in times
of struggle. To trust You to deliver us through, knowing that at the end of our bumpy ride awaits
something bigger and better. Help us understand that these struggles we go through will never be for
nothing. That each and every one brings us closer to You, makes us a stronger servant for You. Thank
You for all of Your many blessings. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

© 2006 by Melissa Ohnoutka
** Published in the Global Prayer issue of "Reflections Online Christian Magazine"
Three Steps To Prayer
All rights reserved. No part of these devotionals may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.  For information please contact me at:
mdohnoutka@yahoo.com Thank you for your understanding.
Melissa Ohnoutka