It can be frustrating when someone doesn't react the way you expect, or says something to hurt your ego. It is also frustrating when someone accuses of you of being someone or doing something that is out of your character.
Life's circumstances has the potential to steal our focus, as well as our joy. The job promotion you were expecting goes to someone else. The promise made to you is broken. You or someone you love is diagnosed with a life threatening (or even terminal) illness. The marriage you thought was firm is shaken. The friendship you hold dear to your heart is shattered into a million pieces. You poor your heart out to a person or in your blog and are totally rejected.
Everyone has life circumstances that rattle their "nicely-put-together" life. Maybe you are experiencing one now that has brought a whirlwind of chaos into your house or your thoughts. Welcome to this thing we call: "LIFE"...
That totally does NOT sound very encouraging! I agree...
Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers
throughout the world are undergoing
the same kind of sufferings.
I see in this verse that other people are not absent from the sufferings that I have in my life. Granted, this verse isn't talking about MY circumstance directly, BUT here lies a word of encouragement from the writer of 1 Peter.
Written in today's language (totally MY interpretation!!!), Peter may say to you today, in the midst of your frustration & hurt of your life's circumstance:
"Hello??? Seriously??? Why in the world are you allowing the devil to steal your joy & peace? Don't you see he has NO authority over you? Resist him! Tell him to take his lies and go elsewhere! I know this is hard for you, but you WILL get through this!!! Stand firm in God's TRUTH! Stand firm in what GOD has spoken to you! Stand firm in what YOU KNOW God has called you to!!! Do NOT give up! You are NOT alone in this type of suffering! I KNOW people who have been through this and THEY MADE IT! Be encouraged and know YOU WILL get to the other side of this!!!"
As I look at this verse in its original context, it doesn't quite say that very thing, but the idea behind it (and many others) is the same! We do NOT have to give in when life gets hard! We do NOT have to crawl into our safe and isolated shell when things or people come against us! We do NOT have to give up on the promises God has spoken to us JUST BECAUSE others don't see it! You don't have to cave when your world comes crashing down!
Peter says, "Resist him..." (meaning the devil, as written in the previous verse). When the lies (broken records) come into your mind, you REFUSE to believe them! "Well, how do I know if it's a lie or truth?" Read the Bible, and seek out what God says about you!
I will post soon on that subject, but for this moment, simply STAND FIRM and DO NOT give up!
Be encouraged through some of the other Bible verses I found regarding Standing Firm!
because you know that your brothers
throughout the world are undergoing
the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:9
I see in this verse that other people are not absent from the sufferings that I have in my life. Granted, this verse isn't talking about MY circumstance directly, BUT here lies a word of encouragement from the writer of 1 Peter.
Written in today's language (totally MY interpretation!!!), Peter may say to you today, in the midst of your frustration & hurt of your life's circumstance:
"Hello??? Seriously??? Why in the world are you allowing the devil to steal your joy & peace? Don't you see he has NO authority over you? Resist him! Tell him to take his lies and go elsewhere! I know this is hard for you, but you WILL get through this!!! Stand firm in God's TRUTH! Stand firm in what GOD has spoken to you! Stand firm in what YOU KNOW God has called you to!!! Do NOT give up! You are NOT alone in this type of suffering! I KNOW people who have been through this and THEY MADE IT! Be encouraged and know YOU WILL get to the other side of this!!!"
As I look at this verse in its original context, it doesn't quite say that very thing, but the idea behind it (and many others) is the same! We do NOT have to give in when life gets hard! We do NOT have to crawl into our safe and isolated shell when things or people come against us! We do NOT have to give up on the promises God has spoken to us JUST BECAUSE others don't see it! You don't have to cave when your world comes crashing down!
Peter says, "Resist him..." (meaning the devil, as written in the previous verse). When the lies (broken records) come into your mind, you REFUSE to believe them! "Well, how do I know if it's a lie or truth?" Read the Bible, and seek out what God says about you!
I will post soon on that subject, but for this moment, simply STAND FIRM and DO NOT give up!
Be encouraged through some of the other Bible verses I found regarding Standing Firm!
2 Timothy 2:9a Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"
Exodus 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "
Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place
2 Corinthians 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
Luke 21:19 By standing firm you will gain life.
Matthew 24:13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Proverbs 10:25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Psalm 20:8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm
Job 11:15 then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.
But the plans of the LORD
stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart
through all generations.
Psalm 33:11
stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart
through all generations.
Psalm 33:11
5 comments:
Great post!!
Your faith is an inspiration!!
Blessings-
AManda
Have I told you lately that I love you? *grin*
Even when the ground feels shaky, because of Jesus I can stand firm.
And I will!
I know what you meant :)
Beautiful...
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