Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up
in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be
alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing
firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers
throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of
all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have
suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you
strong, firm and steadfast.
Living life as a Christ follower is no picnic.
At fourteen years old, I walked down the church aisle and gave my
life to Jesus. If you remember anything about the
teen years, peer pressure and mean girls infiltrated the school. I'd accepted Jesus the
summer between my eighth and ninth grade year. When I entered the doors to my high
school years, I waltzed in as a shiny new Christian. Even though many of my
friends went to church, my heartfelt love for God took a hit. For some reason,
friends turned on me and made fun of me. They couldn't understand why I wanted
to devote my life to Jesus. Thankfully, I was part of a great youth group. But
even at that, I sometimes felt alone in my stand for Christ. Satan never let
up.
Fast forward to many years later. I worked in an academic library. My
surroundings felt like high school all over again. As a believer working in a
liberal setting, my faith remained challenged. But this time, I understood why.
God's people are tested every day, all over the
world. Satan is relentless. But so is God. His love and grace surpass anything the devil temps us with. No matter what damage we suffer in this world, God promises to restore his children.
He offers his strength and support to give us the courage to continue life for
him and the hope of eternal life in heaven.
No matter the struggle, the broken heart, the disappointment, the sorrow, God promises restoration.