No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10: 13 Today’s New International Version
Take heart, my friends, be encouraged. Be hopeful even when the world around seems to be spiraling in a downward direction. Be confident and courageous.
You know, if you have followed me or known me very long, that I am a believer. I don’t try to preach on this blog but there are times when my heart feels led to post something spiritual or religious. I make no apologies for this—if it is not your cup of tea you don’t have to read–you can choose to move on and that is fine but sometimes something triggers something in me that makes me want to write it out and this is my place to do that.
The above scripture has been quoted so many times it can not be counted. It graces greeting card covers. It can be seen on countless artwork and posters. It has been written and rewritten in journals, underlined in Bibles and posted on mirrors and refrigerators all over the world.
It is one of those verses that brings comfort and God knows that we all need some of that from time to time. It is hard some days to not feel that the weight of the world is heaped upon our collective shoulders. There are things that touch each of us on a daily basis that burden us and that threaten to tear us down. But I am here to say that there is hope. Times are hard. There is no doubt about that at all. I see it everyday .
unemployment
mental illness
physical disabilities
death and sorrow
world tragedies and disasters
loneliness
The list goes on and on. But again I say–there is hope. There is hope that tomorrow will be just a little bit brighter and just a little lighter. There is so much hope and the verse above points me to it. It isn’t a Pollyanna view—in my mind–it is fact. There is a brighter tomorrow coming if we can only hold on.
When I have those dark days, and yes, we all have them, I try very hard to think about the positives.
the incredible world that we live in with all of the different types of people
family who loves unconditionally
animals that bring a smile to our faces
freedom that many can not experience
the simple effect of a smile to turn a day around
Do I believe that the above verse is true? Absolutely. Have I experienced the overwhelming urge to just chuck it all and give up? On some days I have. But then I come to my senses and realize that I am not alone. I am certainly not the only one who has gone through tough times. There are tough times all around us. It is how we choose to journey through them that makes the difference. I choose to believe that tomorrow will be better. It always has been that way in the past so why would it not be the same this time around?
Are you feeling overwhelmed today? Do you wonder if tomorrow will bring more than you can bear? Take heart, my friend. You will make it through and by focusing on the positive it might give you a new perspective.
9 Comments
Leave a commentComforting words. Thanks. xo
Have a good day, my friend!
Thank you for this uplifting and encouraging post. Like you, my faith carries me through difficult days, as does the support and care of those who love me (such as you). Hope, as you know, is among my favorite of words.
Uplifting & wonderful words that I believe in too thank you for the reminder.
I’m glad you share your faith- it’s so encouraging and helpful to me.
Well said. Have a great day.
I know what you mean when you say your heart leads you to write a post that shares your faith. God places those words in our hearts and minds and He means for us to share a hopeful, encouraging word to others. We might never know how our post touches someone’s life, but God does! And you accomplished that so well in this post! I have to believe God will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
“Power of a smile to turn a day around”? Sounds like something a crushed teenager might have thought up, but not even crush-struck 14-year-olds can I imagine really meaning anything like “I missed the bus and had to walk in the rain, my phone’s soaked, my lunchbag disintegrated, my shoe soles are coming unglued, I have to do a whole project over, and the cafeteria food was disgusting, but then I saw PERSON” (dopey grin) “and everything was PERFECT!”
Granted, the first smile someone feels able to sit up and form after major surgery is a delight to see.
Still I wish more writers would remember that in less melodramatic circumstances, it’s when we activate the back and the pocket before the mouth that *that* may actually improve someone’s day.
I guess I still have a bit of teenager in me . 😊