Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'?..... Dr. Roger Barrier

 

Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'?

• Dr. Roger Barrier

• Dear Roger,

  I have a question: If our salvation is eternally secure, why does the Bible warn so strongly against apostasy?
  Sincerely, Weldon

  Dear Weldon,

  Let’s begin by defining the word, “apostasy.” In the original Greek, the word is apostasia, meaning “defection,” “departure,’ or “rebellion.” Christian theology refers to “apostasy” as the rejection of the Christian faith by an individual who at one time professed it.

  Your question brings up a very difficult theological question—one that students of Scripture have long debated.

  Some say that the Bible strongly warns against apostasy because falling away from Jesus (whether overtly rejecting Him or simply choosing not to believe any longer) means that you lose your salvation.

  On the other hand, others say that it’s possible to fall away and still remain saved, with the reality of eternity in heaven with Jesus remaining unchanged. This interpretation is often called, “Once Saved, Always Saved.”

  I hold to the “once saved, always saved” doctrine. Let me explain why.

  Apostasy comes with serious spiritual consequences.

  But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1)

  Who wants to slide into a relationship with deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons? Can you imagine that would be the opposite of a commitment to following Jesus? This refers to a choice between those two relationships.

  Timothy continues, “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another” (1 Timothy 4:2).

  Both of these passages describe events that will occur in the latter days. Apostasy will be rampant when the antichrist takes the stage.

  But while many are falling away, true Christians—those who have committed their lives to Him fully—will stick to Jesus at any price.

What the Bible says about committing apostasy and losing salvation in John 15.

In this passage, Jesus says that He is the vine and His followers are the branches. He says that every branch that “remains” attached to him produces fruit.

On the other hand, those who do not “remain” in him are cut off from the vine and thrown in the fire:

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; if anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:5-6)

Jesus taught that the branches that produce fruit “remain in him,” while others fall away and no longer are “in Christ.” They are “out of Christ.”

Who wants to be in a position where we no longer remain in Christ? It’s dangerous to be “thrown into the fire and burned!”

The following declaration is quite shocking! Don’t miss this.

The writer to the Hebrews declares that those who commit apostasy cannot repent and become Christians again. The reason is because, in a spiritual sense, they crucify Christ again and put Him to open shame by giving credence to the idea that Jesus is a fraud!

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

In other words, the author of Hebrews is saying, “Once lost, always lost.” Who wants to say that? Well, when we read this passage, it makes us want to stay as far from apostasy as we possibly can.

Reasons why people commit apostasy.

Demas was a close friend and companion of the apostle Paul. Sadly, he turned his back on Jesus.

Notice his downward regression into apostasy.

Our first picture of him is as a fellow worker of Christ. He was on fire for Jesus.

“Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, [are] my fellow workers.” (Philemon 1:24).

The next time we see him he is just Demas. There is no praising appellation. Something is happening, and he is not burning quite as brightly.

“Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings" (Colossians 4:14)

Finally, he took his eyes off Jesus and was attracted on the world.

For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica." (2 Timothy 4:10)

Three simple mentions of Demas in the Scriptures show the apostasy of a man who started fast with Jesus and didn’t make it to the end.

People fall away from Jesus for numerous reasons.

Let me list for you a few: pride; arrogance; sexual involvement; deceit; disappointment or bitterness toward God; being hurt or disappointed in God’s people; turning to God for help and not receiving what was desired; not being able to figure out spiritual things with rational thinking; false teaching; worldly distractions; persecution; betrayal and a rampantly sinful culture—just to name a few.

“Once saved, always saved,” says that even if we sin, we are still saved.

The classic statement of “once saved, always saved” is John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

The operative word here is “eternal.” Once we believe in Christ, we are given eternal life. It’s not eternal if Jesus can take it away.

Once our Heavenly Father gives us eternal life, nothing that we might do in the future will ever surprise Him to the point where he will take back our salvation.

When Jesus gives a future apostate eternal life, He knows everything about his or her coming apostasy—and He accepts him or her anyway. How can this be? Answer: this gift from the loving heart of God is completely undeserved grace.

We are born again (regenerated) when we believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior. At the moment of our salvation, the Holy Spirit comes into our dead and darkened human spirit and turns on the light.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “you must be born again.” (John 3:3-5)

He saved us, not because of righteous things we’ve done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5)

Before we receive Christ, our human spirit is dark and dead. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit turns on the light.

For us to lose our salvation means that God would have to un-regenerate us.

In other words, for us to lose our salvation means that God would have to take a sledgehammer and slaughter the human spirit that He once lit up. He would have to turn off the spiritual light that he once turned on.

Personal conclusion: “Once we are saved, we are always saved.”

This is pure, unadulterated grace.

I do not believe that a true Christian can commit apostasy. I believe that one who “falls away” from Christ was never a Christian in the first place.

Remember that Jesus said:

He that stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13)

Let’s return to the passage in Hebrews 6:4-6 that we examined earlier. It’s my opinion that these people who “fell away” were never Christian in the first place.

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

On the surface, this passage seems to describe people who had a powerful experience with Jesus Christ, but then committed apostasy and “fell away” from Jesus.

However, upon further review, that is not the case at all.

Jesus said to them:

I am the living bread that comes down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh which I will also give for the life of the world. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. . . Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:51-66)

Of course, Jesus is using metaphors when he preached about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. He is referring to the cross and simultaneously to full commitment. If we only taste something, we can always spit it out if we so choose. However, if we swallow, it becomes part of us.

The people described in this passage tasted Christianity but fell away without swallowing.

They tasted the Word of God, tasted the heavenly gift, and tasted the powers of the age to come, but the fact is, they never swallowed.

It’s no wonder that they walked away!

They were never Christians in the first place.

Take a hard look at your own faith.

It is clear from the Bible that apostates are people who make professions of faith in Jesus Christ but never genuinely receive Him as Lord and Savior. These pretend believers never truly surrendered to Him.

Now engage with this thought. The passages warning against apostasy exhort everyone to be sure of their salvation. Our eternal destiny is not a trifling matter. We are to examine ourselves in order to be certain that we are “in the faith.”

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you—unless of course, you fail the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

The apostle John shares one mark of false believers:

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19)

When I was young, I overheard my dad and our pastor discussing the salvation of a man in our church who recently turned away from Jesus, gave up on Christianity, and wanted nothing more to do with Christ or His church.

Brother Baker said, “He started so well, and ended so poorly. I’ll tell you what,” he continued, “I’d much rather face Jesus with a poor start and a great ending than with a great start and a poor ending.”

Well, Weldon, I hope this helps.

Love, Roger

• 
  
• 
  

Moses, Isaiah, and the Holiness of God..... Craig Denison

 Moses, Isaiah, and the Holiness of God

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview: 

God’s presence is real, full of love, and completely transformational. It takes what was broken and brings healing. It takes what was lost and guides us to our rightful place in the Father. It satisfies the weary, brings light to the darkness, and pours out the refreshing rain of God’s love on the dryest, deepest parts of the soul. Scripture contains story after story of God coming down to meet God’s children where they are, and your heavenly Father has the same heart for you as he did them. He longs to make the reality of his presence known to you. He longs to refresh you with his nearness. You were created for encountering God, and you will never be satisfied until you continually live in the experience for which you were created. Allow your desires to be stirred up to encounter the living God this week as we read powerful stories of God’s people encountering his manifest presence. May you respond to God’s word by seeking out that for which you were made: continual encounter with your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.” Exodus 3:2

Devotional:

Two of the most powerful recorded encounters of God’s presence are found with Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-7 and with Moses in Exodus 3:2-6. Let’s open our hearts to both learn from these encounters and allow them to guide us into a powerful encounter with the living God ourselves.

Isaiah 6:1-7 says,

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”                  

Isaiah demonstrated that experiencing the holiness of God and seeing our own sin in light of his holiness are consistent and important parts of encountering God’s presence. Time after time in Scripture, God’s people see their own sin, repent, and are healed after having an encounter with the presence of God. In fact, Moses has a similar response to being in the presence of God for the first time in Exodus 3:2-6:

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

In light of God’s astounding holiness, Moses was filled with fear to look at the face of God. These two descriptions of God’s presence illustrate an important truth for all: the light of God’s holiness has the ability to pierce into the depth of our soul, bringing to light the darkness that destroys us from within. My prayer today is that we would follow the examples of Moses and Isaiah and allow God’s holiness to shine light on our sin and draw us to repentance. And may we experience healing today the way Isaiah did as the angel of the Lord cleansed him with the coal.

God’s presence casts light on our sin and brokenness because in order for us to live the fullness of life God desires, we must walk in righteousness. It’s because of God’s love that he reveals our sin. It’s because God longs for us to experience a life of holiness and freedom as his children that he shines light on our darkness and draws us out into the glorious light of righteousness.

God promises in Isaiah 42:16, “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” And 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” God’s desire has always been to lead his children into his righteousness. God’s longing for us to partake in his divine nature has been a chief desire of his from the first sin of Adam and Eve. And through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ our nature has been transformed. Ephesians 2:1-6 says,

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

You have been set free from what once separated you from your heavenly Father. But the key to experiencing this freedom is allowing God to shine light on what does not belong to you anymore: your sin. You must walk as a child of the light, not as a child of wrath, and it’s spending time encountering the holiness of God that will transform you from the inside out. Spending time on holy ground as Moses did will heal you from the sins that entangle you. Spending time allowing God to reveal your sin and purge it from you as he did with Isaiah will empower you to choose the light over the darkness. A vital part of encountering God is repenting of our sin in light of his wonderful, holy love for us.

Experience the holiness of God today as you enter into guided prayer. Repent of whatever is in you that’s not in line with your new nature in Christ and walk as the child of God that you are in light of his wonderful and powerful grace. 

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Moses and Isaiah’s encounters with the holiness of God. Put yourself inside the story. Imagine yourself as their character. Feel what they would have felt. See what they would have seen. Allow the stories of Scripture to come to life around you.

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3:2-6

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!’

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” Isaiah 6:1-7

2. Allow the holiness of God to shine light on the darkest parts of your soul. Where do you have unconfessed sin? What’s holding you back from walking fully in the light? What sin does God want to heal you from today?

3. Confess your sins to God. Repent from any area of darkness and turn fully toward the light of holiness. Rest in his forgiveness and allow it to be the foundation on which you can live in the freedom bought for you by the blood of Christ.

Psalm 30:11 says, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” When we give our sin over to God he turns what the enemy meant to harm us into our greatest source of gladness. Forgiveness is something to dance over, to sing about, and to enjoy wholeheartedly. Our God takes what was dark and makes it light. He took what tied us to this world, placed it on the shoulders of Jesus, and put it to death with the last breath of his perfect Son. May you discover today a freeing joy in the presence of the God of holiness and forgiveness. And may you live your life in light of the glorious grace you’ve been shown through the love of God.

Extended Reading: Romans 8

Holding God’s Hand When You’re Anxious (Philippians 4:6-7)..... By: Anne Peterson

 Holding God’s Hand When You’re Anxious (Philippians 4:6-7)

By: Anne Peterson

Today’s Bible Verse: 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. - Philippians 4:6-7

Peace. It eludes us. Slipping quickly through our fingers, no matter how tightly we try to hold onto it.

I was at the doctor's for what I thought was a routine eye exam. I heard something I had never heard before, “You have a freckle on your eye. I’d like you to see another doctor.”

Those words have to be some of the most anxiety-producing words. Right up there with the words, “I’m very sorry to have to tell you this…”

And as we receive those hard things in our lives, the enemy of our souls stands right outside the door of our minds, ready to paint the most dismal scenarios in vibrant colors.

God’s antidote for anxiety is for us to turn things over to him. To recall who God is and to remember nothing is too big for God to handle. As I reflect on the times I’ve been afraid or anxious, I remember sometimes giving in to that temptation. But as I’ve prayed, or asked others to lift me in prayer, God provided peace which guarded my heart and mind.

Nothing in my circumstances had changed, but my heart was encouraged. I felt calm. And I thought about God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Do I ever feel weak? Yes, at times I have. But like Paul, I am learning whenever I lack something I can trust God to provide it. One of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh. The Lord will provide, not the Lord might provide. Paul was confident that God would supply all his needs (Philippians 4:19). Furthermore, Paul graduated to the place where he delighted in weaknesses, in insults, persecutions and difficulties. Why? Because Paul realized when he was weak, then he was strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). No longer was Paul relying on his own strength. He was leaning on the Lord.

I love reading about the life of Paul because I don’t picture him white-knuckling difficult situations. Like when he sat in prison, shackled and weary, Paul didn’t complain, but instead, he sang praises to the God he leaned on. When God gives you his peace, it transcends everything you’re going through. I have tasted that peace and it’s almost indescribable.

I hope you have experienced it as well.

Look around at how many things in our lives have changed. Especially lately. And yet, God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6). That’s why we can take a deep breath, no matter what we are facing, knowing we can always take hold of God’s outstretched hand.

The doctor just came in to give me the results of my eye procedure. The freckle is benign. And as soon as the doctor left his office, I left as well, still holding onto my Father’s hand.

My Father’s Hand

I do not understand my life,
it’s difficult for me.
Some questions have no answers,
at least that I can see.

And yet, with every year I’ve grown,
there is a truth that God makes known.
I do not have to understand,
but simply take my Father’s hand.

My Conversation with a Hedge..... by Shawn McEvoy

 My Conversation with a Hedge

by Shawn McEvoy

He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. - Proverbs 15:32

Some years during summer, my wife and kids leave me for two-to-three weeks to visit all of her relatives in Texas while I stay home and work. For the first day or two that they're gone, I enjoy my freedom from some of my responsibilities. After that, though, I tend to go a little crazy. I find myself wandering around the house, or doing "improvement" projects I have no business tackling. Making up song lyrics. Or having conversations with inanimate objects.

A couple years ago, in the middle of their trip, I was trimming the bushes beneath our front windows. The three on the right side of the stoop grow more uniformly than the three on the left. On the left, the one closest to the stairs is healthiest, while the other two, thanks to heavier afternoon shade, don't do as well. Oh, it's hard to tell, because I keep them pruned so that they "grow together" in the middle and stay squared off on the tops and corners. But obviously, the two weaker bushes suffer the pruning less frequently, because I let them grow out to fill in the gaps.

As I was working, their healthier sibling, I imagined, began to speak to me. Or to whine is more like it...

Hey! What gives?

Nothing, my good man. Just time for your monthly trimming.

But why? I'm not doing anything wrong. Just sitting here minding my own business. Doing good, doing what I'm supposed to do. And here you come...

Well, just sit still, please. Trust me, I have a purpose here.

Really? Well forgive me for asking, but why doesn't that purpose seem to apply to my lazy, stunted brethren here? All this time and barely a scratch. Maybe a nip, a cut. Nothing lost, no pain.

You're not happy with how you look? Where you're situated?

I'm fine. But that's just it. I don't deserve this cutting and trimming.

You think you planted yourself in this primo spot?

Never really thought about it. I just want to know why you're taking so much away from me and nothing from them.

I told you I have a purpose. You can't see what I can see. In fact, you can't see much at all. You're completely rooted in place. But I've seen all around you and through you, and have since you were planted.

But it hurts. I don't like losing things.

Never having them in the first place, and never really growing, that's not much good either. I have to give extra care and attention to those others. I can only hope it brings them up to the same level of maturity as you...

Hmmph.

I finished trimming up the hedges, and went my way, unsure I had gotten through. But when I stood back, I beheld something beautiful. I could only hope those under my care understood, had not despised their discipline, and opted to forsake impractical, joyless comparison.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The next time you feel like others aren't being as challenged as you are, or like the Lord is picking on you unfairly, consider that you can't see all the perspectives or purposes of the Lord, not in your life and especially not in the lives of others. The Lord loves you enough to discipline you, and he knows you're healthy and with enough green growth to handle His pruning.

Further Reading

John 15:1

A Prayer for God’s Presence When You Feel Helpless..... By: Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for God’s Presence When You Feel Helpless

By: Emily Rose Massey

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2, NKJV).

We started receiving our hospital bills from our youngest son’s birth and on the breakdown of his five-hour NICU stay, “resuscitation” was listed. Of course, seeing that word in black and white really hit me. Clearly, the Lord needed him here. Perhaps his life will have great purpose on earth.

But his first three months of life were so incredibly difficult that it was hard to see beyond the moment. Colic was absolute torture on his tiny body and if I’m being honest, absolute torture on the whole family.

When he was about eight weeks old, I tried to leave the house for about an hour to get a break. My husband got off work and said he would watch the boys for me. I barely made it onto the highway when I got a text from my husband that I needed to come back home. Our son was inconsolable, and he was refusing a bottle. I walked in the door and grabbed my son and gave my husband a scowling look of disappointment.

In that moment, I was reminded that we are selfish creatures and when something is difficult or an inconvenience to our personal comfort, our flesh cannot take it. We want to lash out in anger. We want to cry, scream, or run away to escape it. Listening to a baby scream uncontrollably for hours on end is one of those things that will test you as a Christian on every side. That night, after three hours straight of trying to comfort my boy, I held Jude in the recliner as he screamed inconsolably and writhed in pain with my earbuds blasting worship music. I began to helplessly weep which turned into a panic attack. I prayed, “Lord, I know I don’t deserve Your mercy, but please help.” Suddenly, peace came, even if for a moment.

Have you ever been in a situation where you have felt completely helpless? The situation may make us feel helpless, but the truth is that we have not been left alone without help.

Sometimes our circumstances don’t change, but God reminds us that He is with us in it. That difficult night with my son and every difficult moment as a parent, even though I feel so incredibly helpless, I will continue to lift my eyes where I know my help comes from.

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2, NKJV).

Our ever-present help in time of need is the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He is also the Maker of my son, Jude, who is a gift from my Heavenly Father. Being a mother will undoubtedly conform me even more into the image of God. God will use these seemingly helpless situations to change us from the inside out and remind us to always cry out to Him, our ultimate help in times of trouble. Instead of wallowing in despair, let us lift our eyes to Him.

Father,

I am discouraged, disappointed, worried, overwhelmed, and burnt-out. I feel downright helpless when life seems to beat me down like this. I know You have not left us orphans and that You are always with us.

I ask that You would remind my heart of this beautiful truth: You are not a Father who would abandon us in our trials or in our pain. You are near to the broken-hearted and You have given us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. You are the help we need when we face various storms in our life.

I lift my eyes to the heavens and know that You hear my cries. I trust that even if my circumstances do not change, You are working in my life to use these hard times to change me to look more like Your Son, Jesus.

In His name I pray. Amen.