Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 29, 2025

Let’s Talk About Grace – Part 1

Have you heard someone say, “Just give me grace for…” as a way of asking for an apology? I have been mulling that over and trying to decide what it really means. Let’s talk about it.

By definition grace means giving favor even though it is not deserved. God is the ultimate example of extending grace which shouts at us as we realize He sent Jesus Christ, His Son, to take on the form of a human and offer Himself as a sacrifice and payment for our sins. That is a favor we do not deserve. Yet, God loves us so much He was willing to do it for us.

He continues to offer us grace each day as we fall short of His standard for living. Whether we use The Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Fruit of the Spirit, or Psalms as a measuring stick, we do not measure up. Each day we confess to Him and grow a little more like Him–or that is the hope!

Now we understand what grace means to God, and how He offers it to us freely.

What about in our relationships with other people? Should others who have wronged us be able to ask for grace from us? Of course. Relationships are made of two sinful people who hurt one another—willingly or unwillingly. Should we be able to apologize, ask each other for grace and kindness, and move on? Absolutely. God’s Word is clear on that. We must do that for any relationship to survive and flourish. Here are a few verses for reference.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Colossians 3:13 adds, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

We are always requested by God to forgive, to extend grace, because He knows it is best for us.

Luke 6:37 says, “Forgive and you will be forgiven.”  I know I want to be forgiven, and I assume you do, too. So we choose to extend grace. God wants us free from the burden of carrying someone else’s consequences on our shoulders. He knows how that weight would affect us. He wants us to understand we are so important to Him, He would hold back our forgiveness so that we are not tempted to allow someone else’s sin to cause us to miss out on His blessings.

Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us with these words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.”

God knows when we bring everything to Him, including those we need to forgive, it will lessen our anxiety and guard our hearts and minds.

So, we forgive because God asks us to, and He knows it is best for us. We trust Him.

On the other hand, grace is not a free football to throw around. Grace cost God the blood of His precious Son. Grace is not something to take for granted or to be abused.

Is there a time when seven times seventy does not apply? How do we balance the verses above with mistreatment, unkindness, and cruelty? What about the person who continues to do the same thing over and over? What about the person who intentionally hurts us? What about the person who asks for grace but for no accountability?

We will work through each of those questions next week in Part 2 of Let’s Talk About Grace.

“God, thank you for the grace you show us. Give us wisdom as we extend it to others.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (feel free to follow me on Instagram TerrieTollerson)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 28, 2025

Drop The Rock

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him” John 8:7b-9.

Although there is some conjecture that this event in John’s gospel was added later to the manuscripts, the account of the woman caught in adultery has a wealth of spiritual truths. For me, these verses, along with Luke 7:36-50, have been integral lessons pushing back on my judgmental flesh, reminding me that I have been forgiven much—so I must love much. That I am a sinner too, deserving of God’s justice (no matter how I, or the world, try to “scale” sins)…but for the grace of Jesus, I get mercy and not justice.

In fact, almost two decades ago, as part of my tattoo testimony in response to a life crisis that only the Lord could bring me through, I have “grace” and “mercy” permanently written on my wrists. The point is to constantly remind me to extend to others the grace and mercy (and forgiveness and love) that God has extended to me. But these words were actually my second choice of ink. My initial thought was a simple three-word reminder from the adulterous woman’s story: Drop the rock.

To be completely transparent, my Christian walk has tended to lean a little more “truth” than “grace”—which can be dangerous and pharisaical. (As a short analysis, I believe this is because I came to Christ after years of New Age philosophy, where Satan loves to take a smidge of God’s truth and twist it enough to deeply deceive…so I can be extremely protective of what God actually said versus tricky or even “creative” variations. There’s a lot to say here, but it’s a digression for another time.) Praise the Lord, as I’ve gotten older in my faith—and am part of a church body that beautifully and authentically embraces God’s Word and God’s desire for “all” to know Him—my truth-and-grace ratio is continually coming more and more into balance.

Again, there’s so much in John’s adulterous woman account to teach, convict, and change us. But it was a little phrase within verse 9 that the Holy Spirit used as a sweet reminder about the Christian sanctification journey: “beginning with the older ones.” Oh, friend, there’s a lot about getting older that is not fun, for sure…but our maturity in Christ—our becoming more and more like Him as we get closer to Home—is wonderfully miraculous. And it’s a bit ironic. See, it should be true that the longer we walk with the Lord, the more we put on the qualities of Christ and take off our fleshly qualities. The Apostle Paul has a lot to say about this in his epistles. But it’s also true that we will recognize our sins much quicker…and be much more frustrated about sinning! Again, see Paul’s lament in Romans 7 as to this accelerating dilemma.

Aren’t you so thankful for this? See, as long as we’re in this fallen body of ours walking through this fallen world, we will all fall short. But we are, in fact, moving “from glory to glory” by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)! So, while we may still pick up a rock now and then, poised to throw it at a “sinner” who we perceive as “more sinful” than us, may we quickly drop it and walk away in repentance. And, beloved, let’s never forget that we were spared the fatal pelting of rocks we deserved…and that, instead of God dropping them, He allowed His Son to take the blows on our behalf.

“Oh, Lord, forgive me for picking up rocks as if I am judge, jury, and executioner. Remind me how You took the rocks for me, and keep my hands open to extend love, grace, and mercy to others.”

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Mercy, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 27, 2025

With God Anything Is Possible

“Blessed be the Lord who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.”  Psalm 68:19 (ESV)

“You can do anything for 60 seconds,” echoed my online trainer.  I can still hear those words as I tackled a hard workout in 2020.  With all the gyms closed, I opted for the next best option – online exercise classes.  Now, I’m an avid exerciser but this class really kicked – it worked muscles I didn’t know I had.  “You can do anything for 60 seconds” got me through.

Amazing how those motivational words have served me well over the last few years.  Every challenge I encountered was combated with “You can do anything for 1 hour, 1 morning, 1 day, 1 week….” I think we all get the picture.

Challenges can definitely sidetrack us, consume us with worry and overwhelm our stress meter.  If we’re not careful we can zero in on the impossibilities versus trusting our God to empower us to tackle each one.

Easier said than done isn’t it?  My tendency is to take in the whole picture – the entire challenge – and that leaves me feeling powerless.  Exhaustion overwhelms me when just simply playing it all out in my head. Unfortunately, this scenario causes me to write my version of the end of the story – “I can’t do anything.”  Lies straight from the enemy’s lips.  Discouragement and doubt are always his fave ammunition. Satan seizes every opportunity to elevate our weakness and diminish God’s faithfulness. Louie Giglio puts it this way: “The enemy only needs the tiniest crack. A sliver of opportunity.  The smallest window of doubt or uncertainty.”

When we chose to echo, “We can do anything for…..” we are reminded we are not alone in our struggles. When we tap into God’s power and rest in His strength, we can manage the kick of daily pressures.  Leaning on God versus leaning on self positions us to make better decisions, navigate our responses and minimize negative reactions toward others. Focusing on our God instead of the depth of our challenge reminds us He is our daily wisdom, counselor, peace giver and sustainer. He alone knows what we need each step of the way (Matthew 6:11), and He promises to provide for us today – right now. We can confidently trust Him to see us through moment by moment.

Sweet friends, 2025 will probably present us with some challenges we didn’t expect.  None of us knows what a day, month or year will bring.  Just like my online exercise class worked different muscle groups, each challenge we face works to cultivate growth and perseverance (James 1:2-4).  Transforming us daily to cling to our faith rather than self. God is fully aware of what lies ahead, and He is ready to carry us through one step at a time.

“Father, You can be trusted to walk alongside us each day as we face challenges.  You are the One we can lean on.  You are the only One who empowers us to defeat the enemy’s lies.  Thank You for making us victorious even when we can’t see it.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 24, 2025

Rehearse – Remember – Recall

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:12-13 (ESV)

Don’t’ know about you but I often find myself struggling to remember things.  Where did I put my keys?  What’s that person’s name?  What was I supposed to pick up from the store?  It can be funny yet frustrating at the same time.   All part of getting older, I guess, or maybe the result of a multi-tasking over used brain.

Leaving forgetting behind – remembering is an important concept in Ephesians 2.  Paul is reminding believers of who they were prior to salvation – totally separated from Christ, alienated and having no hope. This remembrance was meant not to cause shame or guilt but to rehearse who they once were and how the blood of Jesus paved the way for them.

Being reminded of our life before Christ serves us well in many ways:

  1. Births deep gratitude for the gift of salvation
  2. Cultivates mercy and grace for those who don’t know Christ
  3. Propels us to be unified with Christ, His desires and will vs our old sin nature

When we actively choose to rehearse, remember and recall, we gain deep insights, praise for our God and sensitivity for those who are lost.

Do you remember your life before Christ?  Perhaps you were saved at an early age….but what about those years when we didn’t pursue Him wholeheartedly?   I remember them well and it’s that recall which helps me extend mercy and grace to those who don’t know Him.

Have to admit……this is my weak spot…so thankful God pointed it out to me this week.  I tend to not have mercy and grace for those who live contrary to God’s way.  But gently He reminded me this week….they are foreign to His ways…..they don’t have His Spirit living in them…,.they are lost. Just like I was many years ago.  Desperately in need of a Savior and His forgiving grace.

Praying this week that we reflect on all God has done for us and seek His direction on who we need to extend mercy and grace to.  Trusting His Spirit to enable us to recognize the struggles we see in others could be the very thing God uses to draw them back.  Partnering with Him and choosing to reach out rather than withdraw.  Why?  Because we could be the very spark of light they need to find their way back to Him.

“Father, open our eyes and hearts to be extenders of Your grace and mercy to those we meet. Help us to release judgment and be living examples of Your love to a world desperately in need of You.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 23, 2025

Blooming Desert

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom.” Isaiah 35:1-2a (NIV)

If you hear the expression “blooming desert,” you immediately think of the word oxymoron, which simply means that two contradictory terms appear in conjunction. When we think of a desert, we don’t imagine anything blooming in it, right? Well, this used to be true for me, but not anymore. I had the opportunity to visit the Judean Desert in Israel and witnessed the growth of fruit trees right in the middle of what we would call “nowhere.”

Israel is indeed a blessed land by the Lord, and the promises we see in the Old Testament hold true to this day. The desert is a very arid, hot place and no one expects to find fruit and vegetables in such a place. However, the Israeli people have managed to develop irrigation systems that ensure whatever they plant in their land will grow and produce fruit.

While in Israel, I ate some of the fruit of the land, such as figs, dates and pomegranates and they were absolutely amazing, fresh, plump and tasty! I also tasted locally grown vegetables, and they were not any less beautiful or palatable than the ones we grow right here in the U.S. of A!

A land that is parched and sterile needs the proper nutrients to become healthy and productive. Likewise, a heart that does not heed God’s commandments will be a heart that does not know love, compassion or forgiveness. The word of God has the power to bring out the best in us. It is like the Israeli irrigation system, which brings life into the dry ground, allowing the seeds to germinate and bloom, grow and yield fruit.

It is our choice whether we yield good fruit or remain dull and unproductive. My prayer for you today is that you choose life and that you, too, choose to bloom for Christ.

“Thank You, Lord, for the seed of hope that lives within us. May it always find the strength to grow.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 22, 2025

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

You may remember the lyrics to the Bee Gees song, “How can you mend a broken heart, how can you stop the rain from falling down?”  Ten points if you could sing it right now, including the high notes!!  This song begs for the question so many of us ask, yet offers no answers. The song ends with the singer begging an unknown source,  “Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.”

Haven’t so many of us asked the exact same question? We have had our hearts broken, and we long to know if it can be healed and who can heal it and how we can live again.

It comforts me to think that thousands of years ago, God made sure to acknowledge how painful and debilitating it can be to have a broken heart. Look at what King Solomon wrote: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”  (Proverbs 17:22)  Again, our broken hearts are addressed in Proverbs 18:14 which states, “The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” God knows having our heart broken is  worse than physical pain and takes our strength away. He understands the heaviness and the grief.

But God does not leave us there. He walks with us during the darkest and heaviest times. He, Himself, puts the thread in the needle and stitches our heart back together again. He gives the healing where needed.

How do we know this?

*Psalm 147:3, “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.”

*Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

*2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles…”

*Matthew 11:28, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.””

I want to encourage you today that when your heart is hurting and you feel like it can never be whole again, reach out to Jesus. Talk to Him, tell Him how bad the pain is, lean on Him and let Him carry you. He will. He will sew us back together one stitch at a time.

Remember Job? Scripture tells us he cried out to God, he asked questions, he told God his deep grief and distress, but he continued to talk to Him. Sometimes all the strength we can muster is to speak the name of Jesus. He promises to listen.

Isn’t it interesting that the thing that can hurt us the most and break us down is the thing that God tells us determines the course of our life? Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, “Guard our hearts above all else, for it determines the course of our life.”  When we are so broken we can’t lift our heads off the pillow, we are not guarding ourselves. God knows that and it is why He offers to comfort and heal us; He will guard us until we can shield our hearts again. But that is also why God does not want us to stay there. He knows the longer we stay there, the harder it is to keep our hearts focused on Him.

Don’t misunderstand me here, this is not harsh, nor does God not understand the depth of our pain. This does not mean healing does not take time, energy, love, and prayers. He promises to walk with us, comfort us and heal us. He knows our healing is best for us, but that sometimes ultimate healing will not come until we are at home with Him.

“Weeping may last for the night (or many, many nights), but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.  It is a promise to cling to!

We need to let the Bee Gees know our hearts can be mended, and we can live again, with the strength and help of our King. There is always hope, but no one said it was easy or pain free.

“Father, comfort as only You can. We beg you to heal our broken hearts and begin to lift our heads off the pillow.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (feel free to follow me @TerrieTollerson on Instagram or check out TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life
All scripture is NLT. Italics are mine.

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 21, 2025

Know Your Account

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify [set apart] Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” 1 Peter 3:14-15 [bracketed notes mine]

Sweet friend, I know you feel it. The growing chasm between light and dark, good and evil. Is this indicating the “labor pains” of end times? Maybe. Maybe not. Every generation since the first-century Christians have had the same thought: “Wow, things in this world can’t possibly get any worse or more evil than they are now! Surely the Lord is coming back any minute!” The Word is clear, though, that only God knows the time…so we can’t lay hold of any of those rampant predictions. What we all should be doing, however, is living every day as if His return is imminent!

That’s why Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:14-15 seem to speak extra loudly for today. As followers of Jesus Christ, we will suffer for His sake…but we don’t have to worry or fear—He has overcome the world, and we’re living in His victory (John 16:33)! Oh, but Peter makes it very, very clear as to how we can live fearlessly in this dark world with an enemy that hates us. First, we must “sanctify Christ as Lord.” In other words, live in full submission to Him, loving and obeying His will for us. (And what’s “His will”? Get into His Word, and you’ll know!) Next, Peter exhorts us to be ready to explain our hope in Jesus—to give a defense when confronted in either curiosity or vitriol.

So, let me ask: Are you ready to give your account? Can you articulate what you believe—and why you’re a follower of Jesus?

Your story matters! Standing firm on the Gospel (Jesus’ victory) and your testimony not only gives us confidence in this dark world (per Peter’s letter), but this is how we overcome Satan (Rev 12:10-11). Sometimes, we can sit and have a long conversation with someone about our faith in Jesus. Other times, we only get a few seconds to give an account. So, no matter how long you’ve been a believer, let me encourage you to do a little exercise to prepare a 20-second testimony. There are three simple steps:

  1. “There was a time in my life when…” or “Before I surrendered my life to Christ…” Here, think of how you’d describe your life then. Consider your values, attitudes, idols, and actions. Sum this up in a few words.
  2. “Then I surrendered my life to Jesus…” Share how you became aware of your need for the Gospel—what the circumstances were when you accepted Jesus’ gift of grace.
  3. “Now that I have a relationship with Jesus…” or “Since then…” Describe the Great Exchange that happened for you. State your attitudes, beliefs, and actions now, especially as compared to before Christ. (We’re not saying here that after salvation life is rainbows and lollipops—it’s not. The Christian walk is hard…but we’re expressing our personal transformation and trust in the Lord as we walk toward Home.)

As an example, mine might go something like this: “I was lost and grasping for hope and satisfaction in the things of this world, trying so hard to do and be “good enough,” but drowning in my failures. But God revealed His grace to me through Jesus, pulling me out of the darkness to forgive and free me. Now, I am a new person! I live in the light His love, mercy, and grace, shining His light to glorify Him no matter my circumstances.”

Be ready, beloved! Know your why. Equip yourself with your story. It holds the power to keep you fearless in the face of worldly intimidation, enable you to overcome the enemy, and bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ.

“Heavenly Father, this world is so, so dark, and evil seems to be ramping up. Lord, give me the courage and boldness to speak the Truth of the Gospel, knowing YOUR WORD (the Bible) and MY WORD (testimony).”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 20, 2025

He Has My Heart

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:5 (ESV)

Lots of things grab our attention, and if we are really honest it’s not only our attention that’s at stake it’s our affections as well. It’s the marketing strategy that’s worked forever. What entices our gaze usually ends up fueling our desires as well. Exactly why commercials work. That pizza commercial on rotation leaves my stomach growling and my mouth watering despite the fact I just had dinner. We see something and see it again within a few hours and by the end of the night, we’re convinced we really need it.

Sounds all too familiar doesn’t it? Our affections are easily swayed in this world. Too many seemingly harmless stimulators vying for our attention. Yet if we are not careful where our gaze lands, we can find ourselves discontented and feeling less than in a flash. Worse yet, we can find our closet full of things we really didn’t need, because our affections are easily misplaced.

Perhaps this is why God chose the word “focus” for my year. I totally didn’t get it when January unveiled it, yet today there is not a doubt within me that God was preparing, securing and positioning me for the year ahead. As challenges and tragedies plagued those wintry days of February, I was reminded of how crucial my gaze was to not just my survival but my ability to thrive in the hard places.

We’ve all landed there – moments when life seems unbearable, uncertain and unplanned. And the temptation is to simply survive the next hour while gravitating toward anything that will give us some quick relief. Yet out of the depths of God’s loving kindness, He gently reminds us that maintaining our focus on Him is crucial and non-negotiable.

Hard places can be transformational places when we keep our gaze fixed on God. When we choose to pivot away from overwhelming circumstances and trust His strength, sovereignty and love to carry us through, we find ourselves standing strong even if our knees are wobbly. When we surround ourselves with God’s faithful word and cling to His promises even in the midst of desperation, we find He is trustworthy and true. And suddenly before we even realize it, He has our heart. The seed of our focus moves from sight to heart, and we feel loved and cherished.

Don’t know about you sweet friend, but the lover of my soul is none other than our Creator God who has met me at every hard place. Whether its loss, heartache or brokenness never has He failed me, discarded me or overlooked me. God has forever been good to me and continues to hold my unshakeable focus. And just in case you’re wondering, you don’t have to wait for hard to pivot your gaze, He alone is worthy of our complete devotion. Eyes focused on Him always births a heart that is forever His.

“Jesus, You are our sweet shepherd – there is nothing that we need.  Your loving kindness surrounds us, and Your strength enables us to journey through the hardest places. What deep joys are found in Your presence.”

For His Glory

 

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 17, 2025

One Missing Step….

cb devo july 29“…..there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10b (NIV)

Ever tried a new recipe and it just didn’t quite turn out? Happened to me last week right in the midst of making something I thought would be delish and healthy. Chocolate is my one true food of choice. I would skip steak, chicken, pasta – all for the devouring of a great chocolate dessert. So when a friend shared her Black Bean Brownie recipe, I couldn’t wait to make them myself.

Now, I have to admit my enthusiasm changed once I took that first batch out of the oven. You see, I skimmed through that recipe really fast as I blended all my ingredients together. Looked so dark and yummy, I poured them in the pan and waited anticipating my first bite. The smell was amazing when I opened the oven, and they looked absolutely perfect. But when I tried to cut them later, my brownies were more like a chocolate shake. Read back over my recipe carefully – yes I had used all the ingredients, yes I baked them at exactly the correct temperature. But I failed to do the most important step – drain the black beans before putting them in the food processor – now that explained a lot.

Amazing the difference one step can make from slightly imperfect to sweet perfection. Found it so true when my heart speaks confession yet leaves off true repentance. A simple turning away from sin and turning toward God. Caught up in the aftermath of our sinfulness, we long for relief of guilt and consequences. Admitting to God our wrongs and then unfortunately slipping right back to the same sin – leaving off the turning away.

Quick is our take these days. The faster we can put something behind us, the better we feel. Repentance, however, isn’t about a feeling it’s a determined mind to obey God’s word. It’s a deep abiding reverence for following His instructions and not leaving off even one step.

“Father, so thankful for Your grace that covers me and Your strength that empowers me to rise above my weaknesses. Even in my imperfections, You come and find me – leading me back to truth.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Mercy, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 16, 2025

Hanging In There

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1:2-4  NIV

Sometimes it seems we are constantly going through trials, doesn’t it? When you’re a child, you are concerned with getting through the next test, enduring the stress of puberty, facing peer pressure, and making decisions about your future. Later in adulthood, you cope with disappointing relationships, financial problems, child rearing, deaths in the family…I could go on and on. I look back on my life, and it seems like one trial after another.

I’m not complaining. God has made His presence known to me more clearly in the trials than at any other time, and I have rejoiced during it all because He was with me in a very real way. If you’ve never experienced that kind of closeness to God, you have something wonderful and marvelous to look forward to.

Perseverance takes faith to hang in there, no matter what. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could crank up some extra faith with some magic formula? But we can’t do it under human power. It takes God’s hand to increase our faith, and He does it by seeing us through difficulty.

Right now, I am going into a new trial I never faced before. Ask me to go through certain kinds of trials, and I am an old hand. It gets easier to trust God for a victorious outcome when you’ve been through it before, have known His presence, and have seen Him at work. That’s how your faith grows. But this new one, for me, is frightening. I can see a long struggle ahead, and I’m already tired.

I was having trouble considering it pure joy, as James instructed us in verse 2. Then I read down to verse 12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

So it’s my job to persevere, and He has promised to give me the crown of life at the appropriate time. I can rejoice over that!

“Dear Father, thank you for your faithfulness in seeing us through difficult situations. We ask for divine strength in persevering through life’s trials so we can look forward to hearing You say, ‘Well done,’ when we finally see You face to face.”

 

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

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