Cindy's Journal

December 28, 2011

All Things Are Possible

The beginning of another year usually brings a feeling of hope. Hope for better jobs, better finances, better relationships and a better life. Entering the new year in that hope is great, but sometimes we find ourselves lamenting on past disappointments. We wonder if the coming year will bring good change, or more hardships.

This is the place I found myself in.

2011 brought it’s share of challenges for my family and I. I felt like I was fighting a faith war all year long. There were good times, but much of the year was spent dealing with hard things and believing God to get through each challenge as it came. By the end of the year, I felt tired and weary and was having a hard time building myself up in faith again. Instead of looking at the new year with hope, I found myself almost dreading it.

As a minister of the gospel, it is my job to teach people how to trust God and here I was having a very hard time of it myself. Recognizing that I needed help, I asked God to help me. No one but God knew what I was going through. I read His word everyday, yet was still heavy-hearted and hopeless. I was having a hard time finding what I needed to read to help me. The word of God is all wonderful, but certain verses will help us at certain times and I just couldn’t seem to find what I needed. But God always knows exactly what to do to help when we are weary.

At our family Christmas party, I opened a present from my brother. He told me he had taken my two-year-old niece shopping, and together they had picked out two presents for me. I unwrapped a lovely white coffee cup with the words printed on it from Matthew 19:26. ‘Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”’ The second gift was a wall plaque with the word Believe at the top and the words of Mark 9:23 below. ‘Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”’ I immediately noticed the common theme- all things are possible, a message of hope.

These things were not coincidence. God was speaking to me.

Being led by God, my family had picked out presents that would encourage my heart, and that would be before my eyes all the time. God knew what I needed and He provided the help I had asked for. I realized that the enemy of my soul was working hard to discourage me and get me to step out of faith and into fear. He wanted to stop me from believing God, because all things are possible to those who believe. I was able to clearly see what was happening. Satan was trying to steal the blessings God wanted to give me.

Satan likes to hit us hard when we are down or tired, but God’s word will always refresh us and remind us of the truth. After telling satan I would no longer listen to him, I continue to keep the words God gave me before my eyes. I wash my coffee cup and reuse it every day so my eyes see those words first thing every morning. My new bookmark is sitting on my table where I read and my plaque is in my kitchen.

If you are discouraged, ask God for help and watch what He will do. He will use whoever and whatever He wants to get you the help you need to stand back up and go forward in Him, fighting the good fight of faith and winning the battle every time.