Help in trying times

The refuge

        When the storms of life blow around you, and you are tossed and buffeted and carried to and fro with the winds of distress, adversity and difficulty, come into My chambers for a little while, until these calamities be past. Come into the warmth of My arms. Rest your head upon My shoulder and see how I will care for you, and how I will make these mountains of problems melt away.

        This is the refuge that I have promised you-the solace of My love, the comfort in My arms, the peace that flows from My heart to yours, that envelops you and transports your spirit to the heaven­ly realm where you see things with new eyes. 

        In those quiet moments when we commune together, I can change your perspective. I can give you new ideas and new thoughts. I can do so many things for you, if you would just step aside into the chamber of My refuge.

Why the struggle?

        You wonder, "Why, Lord? Why do I have to go through so many hardships and difficulties? Am I not pleasing You? I love You. Why do I have to go through these things?"

        Many Christians through the ages have asked this question. In each case it was My Spirit working in them, because unless they became weak, I could not become strong in them. Unless they became broken, I could not teach them compassion; I could not give them the empathy, the outgoing concern for others they needed. I could not give them the many beautiful gifts of My Spirit that this brokenness and these hardships bring.

        Through these afflictions I am teaching you to fight-not with your own strength, but with My strength through prayer and looking to Me for everything in your life.

Wheels of progress

        There are cycles in life-times in which everything seems to go well, and times when things seem to go badly. I want you to learn to hold on to Me through each phase of the cycle.

        Problems cause you to exercise your faith as you rise up to meet them, and that brings the next phase of the cycle: You call on Me for help, and you fight and you win and you make progress. It's like a wheel as it turns: As the top goes down, the bottom comes around to the top and the wheel carries you forward.

        Each time you face a new test, you must fight once again. You take up the challenge, call on Me for help, and once again overcome and make more progress. More tests bring more victories. But if at any time you don't seek Me for the solution and fight through to victory, you stop the cycle. You remain at the low point and there is no forward motion; you go nowhere.

        So don't look at the low points in your life as defeats, but as opportunities to make forward progress. I know it's often difficult to go through these cycles, but you must in order to keep moving forward, so keep at it!

The crushing weight

        I know that your heart breaks and aches, and you feel that this is more than you are able to bear. But My dear one, I will never ask more of you than you are able to give. I will never require more of you than you are able to do.  Whenever you reach the point that you feel it is too much, that the weight of the sacrifice is crushing you, at that moment, I will reach down and lift you up. I will draw you to Me and give you strength and faith.

As gold in the furnace

        You may not understand some things today because it is not My time to fully reveal to you My complete plan and purpose. Believe and trust, even though you do not understand. My ways are not your ways, and you can never know the mind of God by trying to understand and analyze with your own mind. I will reveal My thoughts and My ways by the power of My Spirit to those who will receive My voice with faith, love and appreciation.

        I promise that if you will hold on by faith-not even knowing if you have the strength to hold on-you will not fail. Just as gold is purified in the refiner's furnace, those who pass through the hot flames of testing are those who come out as finer gold. I test you that all the dross and impurities may be melted away. So do not fear the testing, for I purify you out of love, and I cleanse you in answer to your prayers.

Broken dreams

        There are so many things that can and do go wrong in this life-so many broken dreams, so many visions that do not come to pass, so many things that just do not work out the way you so desperately wanted them to. Yet through all the broken dreams, your visions that do not come to pass, the things that don't work out as you had hoped they would, I am there with you. I hold in My hand greater dreams than you've ever dreamed of, more beautiful visions than you've ever seen, and greater things than you've ever hoped for.  Your heart has not imagined the fantastic things I have in store for you who love Me, for you who stick it out through thick and thin. 

Your problems,
My solutions

        When you feel weak, I will be strong for you. When you feel confusion, I will give you peace. When you feel fearful, I will comfort your heart. When you are doubting, I will give you faith. When you feel strain, I will bring relief. When you feel lost, I am right here with you. When you feel useless, I will give you a purpose. When you feel anguish, I will give you joy. When you lack confidence, I will be your assurance. When you feel muddled and cloudy, I will give you clarity of thought. When all seems dark and stormy, I will be your shining light.

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