Faith for Forward Motion
Do you struggle to trust God when making changes or moving into your future?
My faith in God provides a sense of purpose and direction in my life, helping me to move forward in difficult times. God gives me the strength to overcome challenges and persevere through adversity.
One way God helps me move forward is through the provision of hope. When I’m faced with difficult situations, like loss, illness, or crisis of faith struggles, hanging on to my faith in a loving and compassionate God provides hope and comfort. This hope gives me the courage to face my challenges and believe things will improve.
For example, when I was caring for my mother after her ASL diagnosis, I struggled with being enough, with doing enough, primarily since I also worked full-time and was a single parent.
Day by day, God provided the energy to keep going. He moved my sisters back into town so we could share in the caregiver responsibilities. God gave me friends who cared for my daughter on weekends to ensure a sense of normality. Although the disease took my mother’s life, He remained close and faced every challenge with me.
Faith in God also gives me the strength to forgive. Holding on to anger, resentment, and bitterness is a heavy burden to bear, but with God, I can find the strength to forgive others and let go of negative emotions. This helps me to move forward from past hurts and focus on the present and future.
I trust God to show me my purpose and direction in life. I know he created me with a purpose and directs my steps when I believe in His power and wisdom. As a young, single mom, I worked administrative jobs, retail jobs, and anything to put food on the table. I grew weary from tasks that didn’t fill my soul. But, as I leaned in and spoke to God about my hopes and dreams, He provided opportunities to expand my skills, develop things I loved to do as a child, and pour into the Kingdom with joy. Faith in God’s purpose helps us move forward in our occupation and calling, even when we feel lost or aimless.
Walking in faith allows me to find community and support for my faith walk. I pull great inspiration, support, and encouragement from my church family, women’s group, service-focused involvement groups, and prayer partners. So many times, the prayers and words from my community provided the love needed to buoy my spirits.
Finally, God gives me peace and contentment when I focus my heart and eyes on Him. As I experience life with Him, I learn His voice, I stay attached to the vine, and His Spirit produces the fruit of the spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, longsuffering, Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV). I can trust in God’s timing and plan and that all things work together for those who love Him.
God indeed provides us with hope, strength, purpose, direction, community, and inner peace when we focus on Him and trust Him. When we trust Him, we can move forward into our future - the future He has planned since our creation!
Ask Him to help you trust Him in an area where you struggle. May His supernatural spirit speak to your soul and reveal His presence in your life.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.