Finish Free Devotional - Day 12 of 13

2016 Won’t Be Perfect

Prayer

Lord, you are so good! You are so good that even in struggle and challenge your love and security is unwavering. Lord I pray that we can commit to growing in you daily so that when challenges come our way in the next year we can face them with the tools we need. I pray that your strength be readily available to us in our weakness. I pray that when we fall short we do not identify ourselves with our mistakes. I pray that our identity will be strong in you. Thank you for calling us wonderful, thank you for calling us loved, and adopting us as your sons and daughters. May this truth be written on our hearts and relevant in our minds in times where we feel less than. Let us be built up in you so the world can not stand a chance to tear us down.

In your Son’s name

Amen

Scripture

1 Peter 4:12-16

Thoughts

Let’s be honest for a second. We should be getting hyped for 2016. You should be expectant for great things to happen to you. You should believe that you won't have to deal with the same struggles you did last year and that should excite you! You should feel refreshed and free from worry. But don’t be naive at the same time because the truth is 2016 can and will be great but it will not be absent of it’s own set of challenges. And that’s okay. The Lord never said we would be without suffering. But we should not be anxious about the suffering that may come in our near future because our God is with us. He gives us what we need to overcome and He allows us suffering for our growth. I know there are a good amount of verses in today's scripture but read them. Here you’ll find the key to enduring your conflicts in 2016, keep REJOICING. Rejoice in the midst of your suffering. Take time now to pre decide how you will embrace these hard times, go ahead and decide that when things are less than perfect, REJOICE.

Questions

How has God proven Himself in past trials?

How can you become confident in the Lord enough that you are not surprised when suffering comes?

What would it look like for you to rejoice in the midst of struggle?

How can you go ahead and accept that although greatness is coming your way it will be paired with unique challenges?

Challenge

Go ahead and come to terms with the fact that you will have something go wrong in 2016 but go ahead and decide how you will respond when these times come.