Rick Warren's Blog, page 625

Faith is Not Denying Reality

Faith is not denying reality. It’s not pretending you don’t have a problem. Faith is not saying, “I’m not in pain” when you are. It’s not saying, “I don’t hurt” when you do. It’s not saying, “I’m happy” when you’re really grieving inside. That’s not faith; it’s phoniness! Faith is facing the facts without being disheartened by them because you know God is greater than the problem.

At Hope’s End? Rely on God’s Word

How do you know when hope has died in your life? You start using the word “never.” I’m never going to get married. I’m never going to graduate. I’m never going to get well. I’m never going to get out of debt. I’m never going to be able to let go of my past and forget all of that shame and heartache. I’m never going to be able to change. I’m never going to see this situation turn around. That’s when hope has died.

God Is in Control Even When Your Plans Stall

There are certain dead-end words in life, including cancer, divorce, bankruptcy, infertility, and unemployment.

How do you know when you’re at a dead-end? You know it when things get out of your control and you can’t do anything about it.

How Difficulty Can Make You Better, Not Bitter

Life is not fair. You will have problems, difficulties, and hurts that will make you better or bitter. You will either grow up or give up. You’ll either become who God wants you to be or your heart will become hard. You have to decide how you are going to respond to the tough times in your life. How will you handle it?

God’s Purpose Is Greater Than Your Problems or Pain

When we go through difficulties in life, the first thing we try to do is blame somebody else. But it doesn’t matter where your problem came from — God still has a purpose for it in your life. Even when you do stupid things, God can use it. Even when other people hurt you intentionally, he can use it. Even when the devil plans bad things for your life, God can bring good out of it.

Three Mistakes to Avoid in the Face of Difficulty

Trouble is a part of life. You will have difficulties! Jesus told us so in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV).

In Acts 27, Paul set sail for Rome with other prisoners, and they faced great difficulties on their journey because the winds were against them. Paul warned the men on one leg of their voyage that if they set sail, they would be caught in a major storm and the results would be disastrous. They decided to sail anyway, making three common mistakes that are the same mistakes we tend to make that get us into trouble.

Waiting On God? Don’t Fear, Fret, or Faint

When our dream is delayed, it causes us to forget many things. We tend to forget our dream. We forget what God has done in our lives and his goodness to us in the past. We tend to forget that God is with us. We forget God’s power.

Pray: God, Help Me Hold On and Not Give Up!

When you go through the delays in life, don’t get discouraged. Don’t lose heart. Don’t give up!

The Israelites did, and it kept them out of the Promised Land. Numbers 14:2-4 says, “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses … ‘If only we had died in Egypt! …. We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt” (NIV). They gave up on their dream. They had been rescued after 400 years of slavery but then wanted to go back because they were being delayed.

In a Delay, You Can Trust God’s Timing

When you pursue God’s dream for your life, you’re going to run into delays. God uses those waiting periods to prepare you and test you so that you can face whatever is coming in the next phase of your faith.

Sometimes God Delays Your Dream by Design

Dreams are never fulfilled immediately. There’s always a waiting period. Abraham had the dream of being the father of a great nation, and he waited 90 years before he was even told he was going to have a son. Noah had the dream of building an ark, but it took him 120 years. The Israelites were brought out of Egypt and then wandered around for 40 years before they went into the Promised Land, yet it’s only about a two-week walk between Egypt and Israel.