It’s reassuring to know that as a child of God, you are not alone in this world. Our gracious heavenly Father has promised that He is aware and interested in even the tiniest occurrences in your life and has promised to be with you always. Does this mean you will never have struggles and problems? Of course not, but knowing we are secure in the palm of His hand definitely gives us hope and faith.
Matthew chapter six reveals that He knows what we need before we even ask Him, and this spiritual insight brings comfort to realize that God loves us more than anything. Ministers and leaders, God is calling you to give Him these heavyweights of concern so that you can be refreshed with His excitement and joy. We cannot help others or give away what we do not have.
I was teaching a Bible study in a Veterans health care facility a while back and closed with a song called, “God will take care of you” written by Civilla Martin in 1904. I love this old hymn and it’s simple yet profound message of security and peace. When we become entangled with the distractions of this life, God’s perfect will can become cloudy and distant. God will take care of us, but we need to let Him.
Have you noticed that discouragement is always lurking in the shadows? It’s a fierce weapon the enemy uses to shut us down, and if we allow negativity, doubt, and fear from our frustrations to saturate and control our minds, this feeds stress and anxiety. Along with resisting the devil, those who serve God on the front lines must learn that slipping away with Jesus and having some quiet time with Him is the best way to live in the confidence of His presence. Often, our joy leaks out and our fire needs to be rekindled and getting alone with Him will restore and refresh. Have you heard His still, small voice calling you to slip away with Him lately?
Within the New Testament, we read that Jesus would make time to slip away and pray to His Father. We notice in Luke chapter four, as Jesus begins His ministry, He is filled and led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days to fast and pray. At the end of His life, we find Him in the garden of Gethsemane, praying with such intense agony His sweat became as drops of blood. He is our perfect example and this dedicated and sanctified lifestyle of developing an awareness of His presence is the answer to being an overcomer for His glory. The Bible reassures us that God has always known everything, and as a man, Christ knows all about physical and emotional suffering. “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind” Jeremiah 17:10.
If we choose to live a religious life without sacrifice or desire to serve God in our ministry, life is easy and, likely, you will not relate to this message. However, the deeper we become involved with following God and the more of our will we submit to Him, the more we cherish being in the secret place of the Most High. Jesus was tired with laying hands on the masses, healing the sick, crowds seeking Him, manifesting miracles, worrying about His friends, and knowing the cross was waiting for Him, just to mention a few. The demands of life and the responsibilities to manage situations while walking in His Spirit can be overwhelming. Jesus knows ministry is exhausting and our batteries can run down, which is why He draws us to His power source to recharge.
There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I will ever suffer that the Savior did not experience. Isaiah 53:4 promises that He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, and Isaiah 43:2 declares, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” In times of disappointment and weakness, you may cry out, “No one knows what I’m going through” but the love of God always knows and understands and is ready to intervene.
Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky with his wife Cheryl, where he is a minister, Christian author, and community chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at: billyhollandministries.com.
