RomanPrincess said:
does anyone have any positive words of encouragement for me?
I really try to stay positive but im having times and discouragement right now......I just have a really tough time in life in everything and im fustrated, lonely, worn out ,discouraged and just basically having feelings of hopelessess...i feel so forgottend and not normal.
I have some words for you. Right now I'm going through the same times. The new years changed my life. My girlfriend had a stroke from a brain aneuysm. The next week I got in a wreck and broke 6 bones. Been out of work since Jan 6. Now have tens of thousands of dollars in bills. Can't go back to my job until May 12 for my collar bone to heal. Owe my former roommates and close friends rent from the last month I stayed with them. Had to move back in with my parents because I wasn't healing when I was only eating every other day. The friends I had are mad about me not being able to pay them the rent, or moved out of town. So as far as frustrated, lovely, worn out, discouraged, hopeless, and forgotten, I have been right there for some time.
Though none of the circumstances aroud me have changed and no hope seems to show itself, I can truly say I no longer feel that way. You see I came to realize tht we as Christians were promised a life here on earth of trials, prescutions, tribulations, and temptations.They all do their part in trying our faith. God would like to see if we trust Him or if we just say do. Let me use the analogy of a tree in a garden. God tells us not to eat of it. Now when a serpent comes along and gives us a reason to eat of it, are we going to trust God or the serpent? If we trust God, we'll tell that serpent that our God isn't pleased with that and we will never do such a thing. If we don't then we may take and eat. When you believe God at His word, it pleases Him. So He gives you trials, tribulations, and temptations to see if you'll believe His on His word or if you'll waver in the faith because you haven't experienced the promise yet. Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets all saw promises of God. They were persuaded by those promises, and embraced them, and because of them confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They never saw their promises fulfilled, but they would never waver in their belief. They all became heirs of the righteousness which is by faith by pleasing God with their faith.
We live in a world of vanity and futility. The one thing in this world that doesn't add up to those is God and His word. God frustrates the plans of men. The righteous seek Him early. So I would say seek the Lord while He may be found. You may have all these feeling about what's going on around you. That makes for the perfect time to take your mind of the things of this world and put them on the things of the next. We aren't seeking America as our country or any other country on this earth. We desire a better country, that is a heavenly, and that this reason God is not ashamed to be called our God, and He has prepared a city for us. I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. Those who God loves He rebukes and He chastens be zealous therefore and repent. We are His children. And as such we receive discipline from Him, if we didn't we would be *******s (children without a father). Keep in mind that this earth is just a holding cell for those on death row. 10 out of 10 die. Sure we have a nice blue roof and plenty of space. But everything we entertian ourselves with is nothing, unless it concerns us with what we will be once we get out of this prison. The light afflictions we have here work in us a far exceeding weight of eternal glory. And we don't look at those things seen before us, but those things not seen, not those things temperal, but those things eternal. We may have heaviness for a time when we are put through manifold temptations. These trials are more prescious than gold, because we will receive praise, glory, and honor at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He tells us worry not, and fear not. We see him say go and sin no more. Let us do what He says, because He always knows what is best. And when we do what He says, He'll keep our good in mind. He'll gives us everything we need, and help us through all our trials. But we must first put our trust in Him. Faith without works is dead. Because you can believe someone without believing in them. You can believe Christ, without believing in what He says. If you believe in what He says your works will follow what you believe.
Hope this helps you as much as it helped me. Surely, the word of God never returns void.
