Encouragement

Pastor John's email this week was quite insightful. Tony forwarded it to a friend, but I decided to go a step farther and share it here. You never know...someone who reads my blog may need it as much as we did

Good morning (or afternoon or evening...)!Instead of running through a list of announcements for this week, I'll trust that you will read through the enews - www.hopefellowship.net/enews and that I'll see you in one of our services - I'm excited about this weekend!

There are times because of what I get to do in life that I become increasingly aware of the challenges that some of the people I get to pastor are currently facing. I can honestly say it is a joy to walk through these challenges with whomever and to try to provide guidance, comfort and hope for all of them.
So many are facing difficulty in marriage or have just gone through or are currently going through a divorce. Some are facing disease and asking God to bring healing to their bodies. A few have lost loved ones and are facing the pain that only those who have been through it know that it brings. Some are juggling schedules because they are a single parent and are wondering how they are going to financially make it one more day much less pay for Christmas. Many have lost their jobs or are facing cut-backs or pay decreases and seriously fear what the future might bring. Some face depression on a daily basis and wonder if they will ever "get healthy".
I could go on and on...
In years past as a young pastor (I'm still young...), I'd try to answer all the questions that arise when serious challenges face someone's life - pastors have all the answers you know... :-)
Over the years I've learned (in some cases the hard way) that I do not have all the answers and neither does anyone else.
In some Christian circles (or belief systems) there is the notion that a believer should never have to face much difficulty. That every Christian marriage will be healthy, every Christian should be healed, every Christian should be rich and so on... Although I pray for all these things to happen, sometimes they don't (and it ticks me off...)! :-)
However... (and however can be huge), God is not unaware of anything that happens in our lives. I believe with all my heart this passage from Paul in Romans chapter 8 - please take the time to read it all:

Romans 8:26-39 (NLT) 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one-for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one-for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is hope! God is at work! Be encouraged! Trust him! Trust him... There's still so much to be said - but little space. I love you and I pray for you. If you are facing a difficult time in your life, whatever you do - don't walk or run away from the Father, run to him!Love to all - I'll see you this weekend!
John